Out of the Darkness
by J.D. Wolf
Summary: Mary Alice Brandon's human history was a dark mystery. Now that mystery comes to light, albeit a dark light. One as dark as the hole her father buried her in. dark. Contains strong language, violence, rape, death. Rated M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her ****Twilight Saga**** series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

I'm trying something a little different this time. Longer chapters and more detail. I'm hoping it will make a better story without too much "get on with it" going on. I'm also going to try to post one chapter every two weeks. I hope I can stick with that, writing longer chapters sometimes takes me a while. I hope you all like my version of Alice's back story.

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><p><strong>In The Beginning<strong>

**Part 1**

The winds had already begun to acquaint the small estate with the storm that was to come. The entire city of Biloxi, Mississippi, was preparing for the hurricane. Word was this was only going to be a mild blow; winds under 100 mph. Allison Brandon, the newest of the Brandons, hoped it would be mild and short. She had been married to Vernon Brandon for just over a year, and was already with child. In fact, she was very much pregnant. The child was due next month. A September baby.

Alison smiled to herself, as she brushed her hand over her very swollen belly. "Soon little one," she cooed to her unborn child. "But first this storm."

"Alison," Vernon called from the top of the stairs. "You should be resting." He began to descend the stairs slowly. "Go to the library and rest on the davenport." He ordered her.

"I was only trying to help secure the windows down here," she tried to explain.

"That is not necessary," he stared down at her. "I have seen to the upper floor. Now I shall see to this floor. Please do as you are told."

"As you wish, my husband." Alison hung her head as she followed her husband's wishes. She had tried many times, since they had returned from their honeymoon, to recall if Vernon had been quite so demanding while they were courting. She was sure this was a development that had occurred since they had moved into the home of his family. As she relaxed on the davenport, she rubbed her belly lovingly and allowed her thoughts to drift back to one of many discussions about their living arrangements.

(P)(A)(S)(T)

"Vernon, do we have to move in with your parents?" Alison asked from her position with her head in his lap.

"Only if we ever hope to have a home as magnificent as my childhood home," he smiled down at her, as he played with her long black hair.

"I don't care about a large home. I would be happy in a small house, as long at you were there."

"Don't be ridiculous, Ali. Where would our children play? Where would they grow?" He sighed before he continued. "We've had this discussion several times. We're moving in with my family, and there will be no more talk about it. Now, please my dear, rest. We'll be home soon."

(P)(R)(E)(S)(E)(N)(T)

His voice had been gentle but firm then. Alison was sure that the harsh demanding voice he now used, didn't start until they were firmly instilled in his family home. Her grandmother had tried to warn her about his temper, but Alison had never seen any sign of it. He had always been gentle and kind to her. His generous heart was one of the first things that attracted her to him, but it had been ages since she had seen that side of him.

"Be careful" her grandmother had warned her. "He has a streak, and no understanding of the unseen."

Alison had smiled and hugged her grandmother. She remembered how the old woman had been obsessed with the mystic arts, an idea that had grown from a childhood surrounded by servant slaves. Alison had never mentioned her grandmother's claim to 'see the unseen', because the Brandon's did not hold with slave beliefs and didn't allow 'that sort of thing' to be discussed in their home. Since her grandmother had died shortly before the wedding, Alison was free from the need to explain anything.

Alison woke with a start, as the wind whipped at the shutters of the house. She sat up slowly and noticed the darkness of the room, as the hurricane swirled around the house. Then she noticed that the windows in the library had not been shuttered. She watched the trees branches beat against the panes of glass, as she rose to close the interior shutters. She had three of the eight foot high shutters closed before the fourth window shattered as she had the shutter nearly closed. The wind and rain whipped at her hair and dress, as she fought to close the last of the large wooden shutters, against the storm. As she finished latching the shutters closed, Vernon appeared at the door to the library.

"I thought I told you to rest," his anger was evident.

"The shutters were open. I had to close them against the storm. The window broke and..."

"I didn't ask about the windows," Vernon crossed the room to her, and grabbed her by her upper arms. "I told you to rest and I expect you to do as I tell you," and with that said, he pushed her to the davenport and made her sit on it.

"There's no reason to be so gruff," Alison rubbed her arms where his hands had been.

"You are my wife and I expect you to behave as such." He paced the room as he spoke to her. "My parents have noticed a lack of obedience on your part. They have brought it to my attention, and now I bring it to your's."

"Vernon," Alison smiled at her husband. "Obedience? Are you really..."

The slap to her face was both loud and hard. Alison was thrown to the side of the davenport and nearly over the low arm on the end. When she was able to sit back up she had a hand on her face, to cover the painful area of her cheek.

"Vernon?" she asked, too shocked by his action to speak in anything over a whisper.

The second blow was not a slap. This time his fist connected with her eye, and knocked her to the floor.

"You will speak only when a response is requested of you." He leaned over her, grabbed her by her long black hair and lifted her face so he could look into her eyes. "Do I make myself clear?" he demanded of her.

Terror filled every nerve in her body, as she slowly nodded her head, as much as his grip allowed, and whispered a shaky "Yes Vernon."

"Very good," he dropped her head and walked to the door, smiling. "Oh, go to your room and clean yourself up," he ordered. "Mother and father will be returning as soon as the Hurricane passes. If you require assistance, Molly is in the kitchen. And please dear, get off the floor," and he left the room.

Alison crawled up to the davenport and sat for a moment, as silent tears flowed down her cheeks. Her face was throbbing, and the vision in her left eye was greatly diminished, but she refused to give in to the gut-wrenching sobs that threatened to take over her body. Her arms wrapped around her belly protectively, as she tried to stand on trembling legs. She felt the baby begin to kick and move inside her. When the contractions started, she was halfway to the library door. Carefully and slowly, Alison forced her shaking legs to carry her to the foyer. From there she used every piece of furniture in the dinning room to help her make it to the kitchen door.

"Molly," she called barely above a whisper, as she neared the entryway to the kitchen.

"Yes Miss Alison," Molly came through the door wiping her hands with a towel. When she saw Alison's condition, she swore under her breath and rushed to her side. Just as Molly reached Alison, a rush of fluid dropped from the pregnant woman and crashed to the wood floor. "Oh my, Miss Alison, we need to get you to your room." Molly looked around, looking for anyone to help her. "I'll call for Mr. Vernon. He'll..."

"No!" Alison grabbed Molly. "No." and she shook her head. "I'll make it. Just please help me with the stairs.

Molly looked at Alison's face. She saw the bruises, the swollen eye, and understood why Alison had refused the help of her husband.

"We'll make it," Molly encouraged her, as she pulled Alison's arm around her own shoulders, and turned her to the stairs.

As the two climbed the staircase, Alison's contractions worsened. By the time they reached the halfway point on the stairs, she fell to her knees and tried not to scream, as a hard contraction hit her.

"Please, Miss Alison, let me call the Mister." Molly begged her.

"No!" Alison spat out. "I'll not give him cause to fault me for speaking without permission." Her pride refused to allow her to call to the man that had hurt her. She pushed herself off the stair and continued on to her room.

By the time Molly had helped Alison reach her room, the contractions were coming minutes apart, and her breaths were raspy attempts not to scream. Molly helped Alison out of the wet dress and into a night dress, for the delivery of the baby.

"It's too early," Alison gasped, as she tried to relax against the headboard of her bed. She listened to the wind as the hurricane battered at the house. Molly noticed Alison looking up and around the room.

"This is a sturdy house, Miss Alison. It will hold out the wind and the rain."

Just then lightening flashed through the cracks in the shutters, as thunder rocked the small mansion. As a second flash of lightening lit the room, and the thunder rumbled, Alison screamed as her contractions suddenly increased in strength and frequency. Molly rushed to Alison and tried to comfort her.

"I have never delivered a babe, Miss Alison, but I have watched it many times. I think I can do this."

"You have to, Molly," Alison struggled to say between contractions. "There is no one else, and with the storm, no one else is coming." And Alison screamed again.

Molly did all the things she had seen done, to assist in the birthing of a child. All except for the hot water. There was no time for her to return to the kitchen to heat any water. As she checked on Alison, she saw that the baby was indeed due at any moment.

"Here," Molly grabbed one of Alison's hands and pulled it to the side of the bed, at her side. "Feel the loop here?" she asked her. "Pull on this. Wrap the other in the sheets. Try to keep your hands down. It will help the baby come sooner."

Alison tried to do as Molly asked but as another contraction ripped across her distended abdomen, her free hand reached to grab the headboard and she screamed. The storm was in full blow outside the house, but the noise from the hurricane drowned out all sound within the small mansion. Alison screamed again, just as lightening split the tree outside her window, and a huge part of it came crashing through the shuttered window and wall. Lightening danced down the length of the tree's split trunk, and into the spacious bedroom, then back down the trunk and out the window. The tree continued to ground the lightening, but the fear caused Alison to start so badly that her daughter was born with a sudden massive push on her part. Molly caught the premature child, as she slid from her mother and began to cry immediately.

Molly chattered calmly to Alison, as she cut the umbilical cord then laid the baby in her arms and began the clean-up process, that she had been a part of in the past. The wind and rain wailed through the room, but Molly would not be rushed with the care or the newborn or her exhausted mother.

"This is part of the birthing," Molly told Alison. "You must push out what is left behind as well," and she helped Alison dispel the afterbirth. "I have helped with this part," Molly assured Alison with a smile as she secreted the afterbirth away, so she could properly dispose of it after the storm. She packed Alison and carefully changed the bedding and her night dress before she finished cleaning up the baby.

"Such a beautiful girl," Molly yelled to Alison, over the sound of the storm, as she returned her to her mother's arms.

"So tiny," Alison breathed.

"Do you have a name for her?" Molly asked as she prepared to move Alison to a less—drafty room.

"Mary," Alison said smiling down at her daughter. "After my grandmother. Mary Alice Brandon." Alison looked up at Molly, and saw her husband standing in the doorway.

Vernon's eyes surveyed the tree that had caved in a good portion of the wall of the bedroom. He looked at his wife and his new daughter with less concern than he did the ripped wall.

"Molly." His voice was loud over the sounds of the storm. "Prepare my old room for my wife and her child." Molly left immediately.

Vernon stepped to the side of the bed and picked Alison up in his arms, none to gently.

"We have a daughter," Alison smiled down at her small bundle, with her one good eye.

"You have a daughter," he told her. "I requested a son, an heir." He said nothing else, as he carried her to his boyhood bedroom and placed her on the smallish bed. "Molly, you will see to her needs, until the storm has passed."

"Yes, Mister Vernon," Molly kept her eyes on the floor until Vernon Brandon had left the room, then she rushed to Alison's side. "Are you alright, Miss Alison?"

"I'll live," she smiled at Molly. "And so will Mary Alice, thanks to you."

Molly tucked the blankets tight around Alison, as she went to start a fire in the small fireplace in the much smaller bedroom. The fire soon had the room toasty warm and comfortable for both mother and daughter. Alison was soon fast asleep, lulled by the warmth and the sound of her tiny daughter suckling on her own fist. While Alison slept, Molly retrieved a rocking chair and pillows from the ruined bedroom. She also moved the large wood cradle, and other baby items from the nursery, that had been prepared for the coming of the baby.

Molly was not surprised by Vernon Brandon's behavior. She had been a servant in the Brandon house practically since her birth. Her grandmother had been one of their house slaves, and her mother had been kept on as a servant when slavery had been abolished. Her mother was long dead, as well as her grandmother, but Molly remembered. She had felt the violence of the Brandon family on her own body, just as her mother and grandmother had. She felt for Alison, but could do nothing for her. She could only be there to comfort her, as she did now.

As Alison slept, Molly cared for her child. She changed her diaper as needed, and woke Alison only so her daughter could suckle at her breast. Alison was exhausted both from the childbirth, and the violence that preceded it. As the night passed, the hurricane abated, and then there was just a heavy rainstorm.

As morning dawned, Alison woke refreshed, but in some pain. She reached for her face and felt the swelling around her eye. She looked to her right, to see Molly sleeping in the rocking chair with her foot on one of the rockers of the cradle. Alison smiled as she saw the sleeping bundle in the cradle.

"Mary Alice," she breathed.

Just then, the sound of the baby wailing to be fed filled the room. Molly woke and reached down to collect the indignant infant, and took her to her mother.

"She's a very good baby," Molly commented as she laid the child in her mother's waiting arms.

Vernon opened the bedroom door without preamble, and brought with him the family's doctor and a blond-haired woman of about Alison's age. This woman carried with her a baby not much older than her own newborn daughter.

"Molly, you will return to your kitchen duties, now." He waited for her to leave before turning to the people he had brought with him. "Doctor Wilton will check to make sure you are hail and fair, from last nights activities. This is Rita, and her son Virgil. She will nurse the child."

"I had hopes to nurse her myself." Alison was surprised by Vernon's hiring of a wet-nurse since they had not discussed the issue as yet.

"Nonsense, Alison. How do you expect to give me an heir if you are nursing this child." He took a menacing step toward her. "You do want to give me an heir, don't you." It was not a question.

"Of course, Vernon," Alison reached a hand to her face as she answered her husband.

"Then it is best to get started on that as soon as possible." And he turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.

"Well," Dr. Wilton started, "let me just check on that little darling for you," and he took Mary Alice from Alison's arms. He opened the soft blanket she was wrapped in, and examined her thoroughly before handing her to Rita. Rita sat down in the rocking chair and began to nurse the tiny baby. "She's very healthy for coming along a month ahead of time." Dr. Wilton announced. "Now, let me take a look at you. Vernon told me you were injured when the tree crashed through the wall in the other room?"

"Is that what he told you happened?" The doctor looked at her puzzled. "Well, if that's what Mister Brandon said, then that must be what happened." Alison was very matter-of-fact, about the ordeal.

"Well, yes." Dr. Wilton cleared his throat and continued to examine Alison. The doctor took his time and made a thorough examination of Alison, including her eye and face.

"All-in-all, I'd say you were a very lucky woman," he finally pronounced. "But I do suggest that you and your husband refrain from any marital relations for at least six weeks. You need time to heal and recover form last night's activities," he finished, wiping his hand on a towel then throwing it on the pile of laundry in the corner of the room.

"You will be telling Mister Brandon of your recommendations?" Alison asked.

"Of course, my dear. Of course. And I'll be sending along a certificate of birth, as soon as I have completed the required documentation. The child was born before midnight?" Alison nodded. "Good. Then August 15, 1901. A very good day for this child." and the doctor left the room.

Alison took a deep breath and tried to sit up in the small bed. She looked over at her daughter in the arms of her wet-nurse and tears began to fill her eyes.

"It's Rita?" Alison asked.

"Yes," she smiled back at Alison.

"And the father of the child, will he be coming to work for the Brandon's as well?"

Rita pursed her lips as she debated on how to answer that question. She finally smiled at Alison, but it was not a friendly smile.

"His father is already here," she told Alison. "He's always been here," and she began to quietly laugh at Alison. "But don't worry. I won't let anything happen to this little one."

Alison was too shocked to respond to the woman. All she could do was roll away from her and let the tears flow to her pillow. Her mind whirled at the thought that not only had Vernon been unfaithful to her, but he had produced a child with this-his mistress. That he had the gall to bring her to this house, as his daughter's wet-nurse, seemed not to be the most surprising of the days developments. As she began to understand more about this man she married, she could believe him capable of almost anything. And in an odd way, she was glad his mistress was in the house, because she would be spending much of her energy trying to avoid sleeping in the same bed with him. And she would do everything she could, to keep him away from her daughter. Vernon had been right, Mary Alice was her daughter, not his. And she would do whatever it took, to keep it that way.

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><p>Please let me know what you think. I'm trying new things and would like to know how you feel about them.<p>

**Please...please...PLEASE Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her ****Twilight Saga**** series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

**Evading The Inevitable**

Vernon Brandon's parents arrived home in the early afternoon. They immediately sent the servants out to the property to begin the clean-up process. Tradesmen were working their way through the city, making estimates and creating makeshift repairs, so the people could return to their homes. Vernon showed his father the damage to the library and his suite of rooms, while his mother asked about the welfare of his wife.

"Alison is in my old room," Vernon informed his mother, then continued to explain to his father the reason for the wait for the tradesmen to arrive.

Alison heard the quiet knock at the bedroom door, and sat up to greet whoever it was.

"Come in," she said when she was sitting up and comfortably covered. She watched as her mother-in-law entered the room and crossed to the bed before looking up.

"My dear, Vernon told me you were..." She looked up at Alison's face and the color drained from hers'. She sat on the side of the bed, next to Alison.

"He didn't say anything about you being hurt." Alison thought she sounded almost concerned. "Please, child. What happened?"

"Are you requesting a response from me?" Alison felt her eyes begin to water, but she fought back the release of the tears. "I simply want to be sure I have permission to speak, so there will be no more misunderstandings."

Savannah Brandon grabbed her daughter-in-law in a large tight hug, as she whispered in her ear. "The Brandon men can be very demanding of their wives," she confided in Alison, then she gasped as she realized that Alison was no longer pregnant. "The baby—oh, please..."

"She's fine," Alison told her mother-in-law. "Not the heir that I was ordered to produce, but a healthy child nonetheless."

"A Granddaughter," Savannah smiled at Alison.

"Yes, she is currently being cared for by..." Alison stopped, afraid at how far she could push her mother-in-law's good graces.

"Say it child. Something is hurting you besides my son's violent streak. You can confide in me. I know how you must need someone to talk to. I know I did, but for me there was no one. Please, just say it."

"She is being cared for by my husband's mistress." Alison locked eyes with Savannah as a look of shock and embarrassment covered the older Mrs. Brandon's face.

"Mistress?" Savannah was suddenly very angry. "He has a mistress and is only just married?"

"And a new son," Alison looked down at her hands, as she laced her fingers together to hold them still. "There, you have it all. I shall endeavor to control my emotions and play the dutiful wife. To the outside world, we shall remain the blissfully happy newlyweds, with a happy healthy baby daughter. But know this, I will do everything in my power to avoid contact with your son from this day forward. He has his precious son, illegitimate or not. And I may have no say on the wet-nurse, but I shall raise my daughter as I see fit." Alison raised her chin to look up at Savannah, again.

"Do you feel better, getting that off your chest?" Savannah smiled at her, and Alison burst into tears.

The two women held tight to each other, until Alison had cried herself out. When there were no more tears, Savannah loosened her hold on Alison and she slumped to the pillows against the headboard of the bed.

"I understand your feelings for my son." Savannah looked away, shame in her eyes. "But I doubt that it will be that easy. Just remember that I am here whenever you need to talk. We are trapped by our marriages, to men that do not love us. I tried to guide my son, but his father was too strong. You must guide your daughter away from men like those we married. It is a mans' world, and we are but possessions to them, but we can help to strengthen each other."

Alison nodded to her mother-in-law. She hoped that she would be able to trust this woman who claimed to understand her feelings and fears. She took a deep breath and settled into the pillows and warm blankets. Savannah held Alison's hand, as a loud knock announced another visitor. Without waiting for a response, Rita walked into the room carrying Mary Alice in her arms. At the sight of Savannah Brandon, Rita stopped short and cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry," she nodded to them both. "Mary Alice has been fed and I thought she might like to see her mother."

"Yes, please." Alison held her arms out for her daughter. She gently took the small bundle and checked on her. Alison smiled down, as her daughter sucked on her fist and opened her eyes just long enough to see her mother. "May Alice," she whispered to the sleepy infant, "would you like to meet your grandmother?" Alison then handed her to Savannah.

"Oh my!" Savannah whispered. "She's so tiny."

"The doctor said that she is small but healthy. Very healthy for being a month early." Alison told Savannah

"You may leave," Savannah dismissed Rita without looking in her direction.

"Vernon...I ah...Mister Vernon told me to make sure and keep...care for the child so Miss Alison could rest," and she held her arms out for Mary Alice.

Savannah turned to Rita and looked her in the eyes. "I am the lady of this house, and I have given you an order. You will leave this room. _Now!_" Rita gave a small jump and left the room, slamming the door behind her. Savannah smiled down at her granddaughter again, but spoke to her mother. "There are some things I can't do, and some things I can. And I can assure you, that woman will have as little to do with our Mary Alice as I can manage." The two women smiled at each other conspiratorially. "But as for Vernon, I'm afraid that there is very little I can do there. His father will demand a legitimate heir. There is no avoiding that. I'm sorry Alison, but Vernon will have his way for that part of your marriage. The quickest way to avoid his attentions, is to give him the heir that he needs. I was lucky in that our first child was a boy. Why do you think Vernon has no brothers or sisters? But my husband had the good sense to keep his mistresses off the property."

"I always thought that you and Mister Brandon were a very happy couple?" Alison was surprised by Savannah's confession.

"My darlin' girl," Savannah laughed, "you will find that the happiest southern wives are the ones who know that their husbands have mistresses, and are quite happy about it."

"Well," Alison started, "as long as she is in this house, then he has no real need for me. Other than putting a pretty, and legitimate face, on his public appearances."

Savannah handed Mary Alice back to her mother. "I do understand, my dear. I'll do what I can to limit the control that woman has in this house. And I will do all I can to limit her contact with my beautiful granddaughter." With that said, Savannah rose to leave. "Would you like me to put her down to sleep?" she asked.

"Rita has taken the cradle to her room, for her son." Alison told her. "But she's just fine here, next to me." Alison curled her body protectively around her daughter, and smiled up at Savannah.

"Very well," Savannah smiled and left the room, closing the door gently, behind her.

Savannah had been married to Orin Brandon for over 22 years, and she knew how he thought. She would have to wait to talk to him, until she was allowed to retire to her bed. Until then, she would do as much as she could, to undo some of what her son had done. First of all, she would have to find out where her son had stashed his mistress. The house was small compared to some of the other mansions in the neighborhood, but it was still large enough to hide some one, if that was your intention. Savannah started with the largely unused portions of the house. The east wing.

She searched each room, methodically. She was nearing the end of the hallway when she heard the sound of a baby crying. Knowing that Mary Alice was sound asleep with her mother, she assumed that it must be her other grandchild. Savannah walked confidently to the door of the room that contained the two, she hoped, and opened it without knocking. What she found was more than she expected.

Savannah composed herself before clearing her throat loudly. "Well, I guess there is no more doubt that this truly is your mistress." She allowed the anger to seep through her voice, at finding her son in bed with his daughter's wet-nurse.

"Go away, mother," Vernon's muffled voice came from the area of Rita's neck. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Yes, I can, but I am still the lady of this house, and your—_new hire_ will follow _my_ orders." Savannah laced her fingers together and held them down in front of her, as she relaxed into her roll as the mistress of the house. "She will do as you have hired her to, she will wet-nurse your daughter, but that is all. The raising of Mary Alice will be left to her mother and me. Your little tart will simply be a breast with milk. Nothing more. Just a...cow." Savannah smiled a very unfriendly smile. "The rest of her time will be spent here, in these rooms where you have obviously had her for quite some time. I do not wish to see her in the rest of this house. Is that clear?" Savannah smiled sweetly at her son.

Vernon had sat up in the bed, not only exposing his bare chest to his mother, but also Rita's. "I understand you mother, as long as you understand that I will have my heir. My suggestion to you, is that you explain to your new daughter that little fact." Vernon laid back on the pillow, with his hands behind his head. "I hope she heals as quickly as Rita has. I'll not wait long."

Savannah turned and left the room, closing the door tightly behind her. She began to shake before she was able to release the door knob. She placed a hand over her mouth, to keep the screams of disgust and fear from being heard by her son or husband. She hugged the wall of the hallway to keep from falling to her knees, as her shaky legs carried her down the hallway to the open balcony that viewed the foyer and the two, east and west, staircases. By the time she reached the top of the staircase, she had managed to compose herself enough to control the sobs that threatened to take over her body.

"Savannah?" Orin was at the bottom of the stairs by the time Savannah neared the foyer. "Have you been crying?" he demanded to know.

"Oh no." Savannah laughed. "You know me and my allergies. This storm has stirred up all sorts of allergens." Savannah covered for her red rimmed eyes.

"Well," Orin huffed, "I think it may be wise for you to stay out of the East wing. At least until I manage to get the staff to get rid of the trash from that part of the house."

"Yes, Orin," Savannah responded. Her heart gave a small extra beat, as she realized that her husband now knew that her son's mistress was there, and that he would see to her removal.

"I'll be in town," he told her. "I'm going to talk to Doctor Wilton about a wet-nurse for Alison. He will know someone with suitable—attributes."

"Thank you, Orin," Savannah gave her husband a genuine smile as she held on to the staircase rail with both hands.

"Well," he huffed again, "I prefer a house without unnecessary chaos."

Before he could turn to leave, Savannah grabbed his hand and pulled it to her cheek, then gave it a small kiss.

"These are the times I remember why I married you."

Savannah released her husband's hand and hurried around the staircase past him, and into the dinning room. Orin watched his wife, a look of surprise on his face, then turned and walked out the front door. When Savannah heard the door close, she rushed to the west staircase and up to Alison's room. She knocked gently at the bedroom door, but there was no answer. She assumed that Alison was asleep, and decided that the good news could wait until later. With a genuine smile that would last for hours, Savannah returned to the dining room, then to the kitchen to supervise the cooking of dinner.

Savannah altered the evening menu to allow for all of Orin's favorite dishes to be served, as a way of showing her appreciation for all his efforts. She too, enjoyed a quietly well run house, and Rita definitely did not fit anywhere into that definition. She was so happy that for once, they agreed on something important. Savannah saw to the dessert herself, rhubarb pie. It was her own special recipe. Orin had first had it when they were courting. He had come to dinner with her parents, and she had made it then. He had practically eaten the whole pie that night. When she realized that their marriage was little more than a sham, he had told her that her pie was one of the only reasons he had married her. Orin was a thin man, with an extremely healthy appetite. Food was his second love, after his mistresses. Tonight, Savannah was happy to cater to his second love.

Alison had slept soundly, until a rap at her door woke her.

"Dinner is almost ready, Miss Alison," Molly's voice called through the door.

"Please come in, Molly" Alison responded, as she struggled to sit up without waking Mary Alice.

Molly entered the room, placed a large piece of cloth over a chair near the door, and crossed to the bed. "Miss Savannah would like it if you could come downstairs for dinner. If you feel you can make it." Molly smiled down at Alison.

"You're hiding something," Alison gave Molly a suspicious look.

"Why Miss Alison, I would hide nothing bad or hurtful from you." Molly was somewhat indignant at Alison's accusation.

"Well, I do feel better, but I won't know until I begin to move." Alison held her hand out to Molly, to help her stand. "Help me to the ladies, and we'll know more then."

Molly helped Alison to stand, then helped her to the ladies down the hall from the bedroom. Alison felt stiff, but the pain was not as bad as she had expected, considering she had given birth just over 24-hours before. Molly took Alison's bloody packing, and prepared another for her. When Alison had finished her business, Molly repacked her and helped her back to the bedroom. When Alison was seated on pillows, on the rocker, she addressed Molly again.

"Well, that went better than I thought it would. If you will assist me, I think I may be able to make it to dinner this evening." Alison smiled at Molly.

"Miss Savannah said that a simple dress would be best. She sent one along for you, in case you agreed." Molly retrieved the cloth from the chair by the door, and held up the dress for Alison to see.

"It's a lovely color red," Alison laughed. The dress was a very simple design but the color of dried blood.

"She had it made after she had Mister Vernon. She wanted to attend dinner but was very mindful of—accidents. Miss Savannah is a very resourceful woman." Molly grinned at Alison.

Alison laughed at Molly's grin and nodded her head. "Let's try it on." and she slowly stood and helped Molly remove her night dress and slip on the red dress. Savannah was a much taller woman, but she had foreseen the need and had already hemmed the dress for Alison.

"It's a bit short," Molly commented, but I'm sure no one will notice.

"We'll say it's short to prevent me from tripping, in my weakened condition." Alison offered. Alison looked down and saw the tip of her slippers peek out from the bottom of the dress. "However, it is nice to be able to see my feet again." She smiled broadly.

"Yes, Miss Alison, I suppose it is." Molly laughed. "But I think it may be time to get you down those stairs."

Alison took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself for the family dinner that was to come. She went to the bed and gathered Mary Alice into her arms.

"Let me check her before we go down," Molly took the tiny sleeping bundle, then helped Alison sit on the bed while she checked the baby's diaper. She changed her quickly and efficiently, without waking her, then handed her back to her mother.

Alison held Mary Alice close with one arm, while clinging to Molly for support with the other. Together they took the stairs slowly, one by one, until they had reached the foyer. Alison stopped to catch her breathe before crossing the foyer into the dinning room. Savannah greeted her at the door, and took Mary Alice from her, so she could take her seat next to Vernon. Alison smiled and played her part, as the dutiful wife, while she watched Vernon sulk.

Alison wondered why Vernon was in such a foul mood, and was sure that it was somehow her fault. Perhaps coming down to dinner was a bad idea, but Savannah had wanted her here. Alison's mind was whirling with thoughts of what she could have done to cause Vernon to be so mad at her this time. Then she remembered the conversation she had with Savannah, and fear struck her like lightening. She sat straight in her chair, staring straight ahead, waiting for the first course to be served.

Savannah sat in her seat, holding Mary Alice and cooing to her softly. She had noticed Alison's anxious face, and the fear that had suddenly crossed it, then disappeared into a mask of public non-emotion.

"Hand the child to me," Orin demanded. Savannah got up and carried May Alice to the other end of the table, to place her gently into the waiting arms of her husband. "A granddaughter," he huffed. "Not an heir, but beautiful nonetheless. We've never had a girl running about the place before." He smiled down at May Alice and cooed to her as well. Mary Alice cooed back, causing Savannah to laugh. Orin looked up at his wife. "It's been a long time since I've heard you laugh, mother."

Savannah's cheeks began to pink, "It's been a long time since I heard you cooing at a baby," she smiled down at her husband.

"Yes, Well," he cleared his throat, and handed Mary Alice back to Savannah.

Savannah took Mary Alice back to her end of the table, and placed her in the cradle at her feet. Alison had watched the exchange with surprised interest and fascination. She was able to relax a little when Orin Brandon showed his acceptance of her daughter. It was also during this exchange that she noticed an empty place setting across from her and Vernon. Alison prayed that Vernon's mistress would not be joining them for meals. That would be more than she would be able to tolerate.

The sounds of foot steps coming down the east staircase caused Alison to stiffen. The steps were slow but steady, as they descended the stairs. They then slid quietly over the tiled foyer floor and were soon stopped at the dinning room door. Alison turned at the sound of the small female voice.

"I'm so sorry to be late," she softly apologized.

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><p><strong>Still need reviews, to encourage the flow!<strong>

_**Please...begging is so humiliating but please...please leave me a review!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her ****Twilight Saga**** series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

**Hopeful Changes**

Alison saw the short blond girl enter the room. She was very nervous and seemed very sad. Her dress was ill fitted and she looked extremely tired. Alison watched her as she took the empty seat across for her and Vernon.

"It's been a very long and trying day for you, my dear." Savannah offered. "I'm so glad you were able to come down for dinner. Let me introduce you to the family. Of course you've met my husband, Orin Brandon."

The girl looked to the end of the table and nodded to Orin, who only seemed impatient for dinner to start.

"This is my son," Savannah waved her hand to him, "Vernon Brandon, the father. And this," Savannah indicated Alison, "is the mother, Alison." Savannah then picked up May Alice, who woke up at that movement. "And this is the beautiful Miss Mary Alice Brandon." With that said, Savannah handed Mary Alice to this girl. "Everyone," she continued, "this is Callalilly, Callie, Preston. Mary Alice's new wet-nurse."

Alison was overjoyed by this news, and had to work hard to control the laughter that threatened to erupt from her. Vernon's sullen behavior was now explained, and she was glad that she was still able to believe and trust her mother-in-law. But before Alison lost all her manners, she remembered to welcome Callie to their home.

"Callie?" Alison started, "I'm glad you are here. Is your baby sleeping?"

Alison watched as a single tear worked it's way down the girl's cheek. "No, he's not" she told Alison.

"I'm so sorry," Alison felt for the girl, then she saw the wedding ring on her finger, but said nothing more, in case it might cause the girl more pain.

"It's alright," Callie told her. "You should all know, so it's all out there for you to understand." She took a deep breath and looked Alison in the eyes. "The hurricane destroyed our home. My husband and son were killed. Dr Wilton lived a couple houses down from us. He's the one who pulled me from the wreckage. I was staying with his wife, when Mister Orin came looking for a wet-nurse. I have nothing left, so it seemed an offer I could not refuse. My son was one month old. My husband and I had been married for two years. We are...were, not from affluent families, but we...I, am from a God-fearing family. I will treat your May Alice as my own, and help her grow to be a happy healthy baby. If you choose to keep me on as governess for her, we can discuss that at a later date. For now, I am glad my son's milk will go to help a child grow."

"Callie," Alison smiled at the young woman, and felt hope, "I'm glad you are here. I hope you will find solace with my daughter in your arms. And I am very sorry for your loss."

The two women smiled at each other, and then the soup course was being served. Callie rocked Mary Alice in her arm, as she ate her dinner. Alison noticed how easily she accomplished both tasks, without seeming the least bit awkward. The conversation centered on the storm and the damage it had caused. The women ate silently as the two men discussed the needed repairs, and the upcoming visit from the tradesmen that were expected the next day. Alison finished her dinner and nearly fell asleep into her plate.

"Oh, I'm so very sorry," she glanced around her and saw that Vernon was glaring at her. She could see the violence close to the surface.

"Quite alright," his father chuckled. "How could we expect different. After all, you just gave us a granddaughter. I think we can be a tad bit lenient on the table manners front."

"Molly!" Savannah called, and Molly appeared from the kitchen.

"Yes, Miss Savannah?"

"Perhaps you should assist Miss Alison to her room. And show Miss Callie as well. Take your time, Molly. I'll see to dessert." Savannah rose to retrieve her rhubarb pie, and present it to her husband.

Molly helped Alison to rise, promising to bring both her and Callie a slice of a second pie later. It was slow going, but Alison finally made it to the ladies, while Callie used the rocking chair to feed Mary Alice. Molly assisted Alison into her night dress and repacked her for the night. When Alison was finally ready for bed, Molly led her to another room. During dinner, her things had been moved to yet another room, an unused suite of rooms. Alison entered the parlor of the suite and found Callie rocking Mary Alice to sleep.

"Someone is bringing the cradle up, and should be here any moment," Callie whispered to Alison. "Would you like to sit and hold her?"

"Very much," Alison answered. Callie rose from the chair and helped Alison relax into the pillowed rocker, before handing May Alice to her.

"She really is a very good baby," Callie smiled down at the mother and child, for a moment. "Well," she seemed to suddenly remember herself, "Miss Savannah has had some things sent up for me. If it's alright with you, I'll retire to my room." She turned to a door on the left of the door to the hallway. "I'll be right here for the late night feedings. If you want May Alice in the room with me, just knock on my door, and I'll be happy to take her. The choice of the sleeping situation is completely up to you." Callie smiled and retired to her room.

"Molly?" Alison stopped the woman before she left the room. "I thought Callie was being housed in the east wing."

"She was there only to rest and change for dinner. Miss Savannah didn't want you disturbed." Molly had a huge grin on her face. "I think Miss Savannah just wanted to surprise you," Molly added quietly, then a thought crossed her mind, "Oh, I should let you know, Mister Vernon will also be sharing these rooms." Alison's smile faded. "You are to have the room in the center. Mister Vernon will have this room," she pointed to the door to the right of the hallway door "as his bedroom." Molly saw the look of fear and disgust on Alison's face. "We hope that he will spend as little time home, as possible. His mistress has been moved to a small house close by."

Alison breathed a sigh of relief. "One can only hope," she whispered, then nodded to Molly, to go ahead and leave. As she was leaving, the cradle arrived. Alison had it placed near the rocking chair, and placed a sleeping Mary Alice in it.

"Goodnight sweet thing," Alison said, as she carefully rose from her chair and retired to her room as well.

Alison examined the room carefully. She was glad to be back in a big bed, Vernon's boyhood bed had been hard and small. As she sat on the large bed, she was so happy it was of the soft variety. She noticed that all the furniture in the room matched. It all had intricate carving in it's fine cherry wood finish. Alison stood up again, and walked around the room. Her fingertips brushed along the surfaces of the fine furniture. The top of the dresser, along the front of the chest of drawers, the edge of the vanity, even it's cushioned chair. It was all beautiful. Then Alison noticed the smaller chest of drawers and diaper changing station placed in a small alcove in the room. She realized that she was looking at a bedroom/nursery suite of furniture that must have belonged to Savannah, when she had Vernon. Tears filled her eyes, as she understood the depth of Savannah's understanding of her situation. She was trying to compensate Alison for what was to come, by giving her a sanctuary of beautiful things to come to. To hide in.

Alison was back to sitting on the bed, when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," she said without asking who it was. Vernon walked calmly into the room and stopped just a few feet past the door.

"I know that it was not you that had Rita evicted," he started, "But I wish to make myself clear in this matter. I _will_ have my heir! And you will give him to me." Vernon took in a deep breath and pulled himself up as straight as he could. "When I call for you, you will come to my room. There will be no diversions, no stalling for more time. You will obey me in this." Alison saw the anger again, lying just under the surface of her husband's barely maintained calm exterior. "Have I made myself clear to you?"

"Yes Vernon," Alison whispered. "But the doctor..."

"I did not ask you about the doctor." He took a threatening step toward her. "I told you what I expect. That is all you need to be clear about."

"Yes, Vernon." Fear filled Alison again, as she realized that her husband would not give her the six weeks that Doctor Wilton had recommended for her recovery.

"Very good," Vernon turned to leave the room. "Sleep well, wife." Vernon smirked at her, as he closed the door to her room.

Alison slipped under the blankets of her bed, and tried to relax. Tears began to flow to her pillow, as her mind spun at Vernon's threats. She knew he meant every word he said to her. Refusal was not an option. He was going to take her before she was completely healed. All Alison could think about was the pain her husband intended to cause her. She had heard of the death of women who died in childbirth for having children too close together. Even in this new age, medicine could only do so much, if the people involved refused to follow medical advice. Alison fell asleep, dreaming of the deaths of children, the deaths of mothers. She dreamed her own death.

Morning came early for Alison. It was not quite dawn when she heard Mary Alice fussing in the next room. Alison carefully extricated herself from the twisted bed sheets and blankets, grabbed her robe and hurried, as best she could, to the parlor. Callie was holding Mary Alice in the rocker, trying to calm the fussing child.

"I'm sorry, Miss Alison," Callie looked up at her. "She's been fussy all night. I've tried everything."

"It's alright, Callie," Alison stepped to the rocker. "Let me try."

Callie stood and waited for Alison to sit down before handing her Mary Alice.

"She's been fed, though she didn't take much, and she's dry."

Alison rocked and cooed to her daughter, and she slowly calmed and began to suck on her fist.

"Did you have a rough night," Alison whispered to her daughter. "Callie, why don't you try and catch a nap. You don't look like you got very much sleep."

"Are you sure, Miss Alison." Alison nodded to her. "Thank you, I am rather tired." Callie smiled and turned to her room. By the time her door had closed, Mary Alice was calmly sucking her fist and staring up into her mother's eyes.

"Did you have trouble sleeping, my little darlin'?" Alison pulled Mary Alice up to her face and planted kisses along her forehead and cheeks. "I had trouble sleeping too." Mary Alice reached a hand up to Alison's face. Alison caught the tiny hand and gave the palm a kiss, then released it to continue to grab at her face and cheek. Alison sat back and tried to relax with her elbows on the arms of the rocker.

"I hope you didn't have dreams like I did," Alison continued whispering to her daughter. "They were horrible, nothing for beautiful little girls to even think about. You should be dreaming of kittens and ponies. Beautiful boys with charming ways and genuine sweetness." Alison began to relax, with Mary Alice in her arms. After a while, she began to doze off. She dreamed of a black-haired girl who danced and twirled with a big smile on her face.

"_What are you doing?_" Vernon boomed as he entered the parlor.

Alison startled awake, Mary Alice began to scream loudly, and Callie came running from her room. At the sight of Vernon, she immediately went to Alison and retrieved Mary Alice. With a nod from Alison, Callie retreated to her room, with the wailing baby in her arms.

"You're drunk," Alison observed.

Vernon stumbled over to Alison and leaned down to breath in her face. "Yes, I am. And a lovely night I had. Are you healing well, _wife_?"

Alison turned her head away from her husband and said nothing.

"Don't you want to know what I was doing all night," he hissed in her ear.

"No." Alison whispered between tight lips.

"I better not catch you nursing that child," he spat at her. "I have need of some of your...delicate attributes." Vernon stood over Alison for a moment longer before turning to retire to his room. Before he closed the door, he turned back to Alison. "And shut that brat up. I want to sleep."

As soon as he had closed the door, Alison hurried, as best she could, to Callie's room to check on Mary Alice. She found Callie sitting on the bed, trying to feed a very fussy and frigidity baby. At Callie's nod, Alison sat next to her and placed a hand along Mary Alice's cheek. She instantly calmed and began to feed ferociously.

"I just fed her a little while ago and she's acting like she's starving." Callie smiled at Alison for a moment, then the smile faded. "I don't think she likes her father very much."

"Isn't she a bit young to think that she may have preferences?" Alison thought the idea was completely without merit, but a part of her wanted to believed Callie. "She's just two days old."

"I don't know," Callie looked thoughtful. "I sometimes wonder if they feel things, hear things, before they're born." Callie threw her head back as if to adjust her hair, and gave a small laugh. "Just me being silly. But I do know that she loves her mother." Callie adjusted her night dress, as Mary Alice released her breast, and handed her to Alison. "There she is. The sweetest baby there is. Sleeping, without a care in the world."

Alison took Mary Alice in her arms and carried her back to the rocker.

"Are you going to try and get some more sleep?" Alison asked, before closing the door.

"No, breakfast will be ready soon. I think I'll just get ready for the day."

"Alright, Callie. I'm gong to rock her for a little while, then get dressed myself. When you go down, will you ask Molly to come up?"

"I'd be happy to help you." Callie told Alison.

"Alright," Alison smiled at her. "Let me know when you're ready. I'll put Mary Alice down then."

Callie nodded and began to gather her things for her bath. She quietly left the suite of rooms for the bathroom down the hall. There she drew her bath and prepared for the day. When she had finished, she drew a fresh bath for Alison, then went down the hall to help her prepare for her bath. Alison was thrilled at the idea of a bath.

"You don't think it's too soon?" she asked Callie.

"I was in a bath by the second day. I was just dying for one. And the warm water really helps with the pain. Just relax for a while."

Callie helped Alison wash her hair and talked to her while she washed herself, then relaxed in the soothing water.

"It is getting late," Alison commented when the water had started to cool. "I should get out of this water." She laughed as she stood.

Callie helped Alison, even though she did feel less stiff. The two continued to chat, and the constant banter kept Alison from being too embarrassed at being naked in front of another woman. It had been different with Molly. Molly was a servant. Alison didn't think of Callie as a servant. She thought of her more as a friend. As she considered this, she thought about Molly. Yes she was a servant, but in the last two days, she had become more. Alison realized that Molly, also, had taken the step from servant to friend, in her mind. She would have to be even more careful in front of Vernon. He was very conscious of the differences in the classes. He would not look favorably on Alison considering either Molly or Callie, as a friend. At this point, she wasn't sure that Vernon wanted her to have any friends.

"Are you alright?" Callie asked Alison.

"I'm sorry, Callie. I was just thinking."

"Thinking very hard, I would say."

Alison shook her head, as if to clear it of unwanted thoughts. She finished dressing and gathered her things to take back to her room. Callie stayed close, even though Alison was much steadier. They both passed through the parlor quietly, more to ensure that Vernon slept undisturbed, than Mary Alice. When everything was back in it's place, Alison carefully gathered Mary Alice in her arms, and the three went down for breakfast.

When they reached the dinning room, Alison found another cradle on a low table situated behind Callie's place. Callie took Mary Alice from Alison and placed her gently in the new cradle.

"I thought this would be so much easier than carrying one up and down those stairs." Savannah smiled as she chose her breakfast from the assortment of breakfast food arranged on the buffet table. "And where is that dear son of mine?"

Alison looked down as she told Savannah, "Vernon appears to be quite indisposed this morning. I doubt he will be available until noon or possibly later."

"I see. " Savannah was tight lipped as she sat down with her plate. "Please ladies, join me. I'm sure Orin will be joining us shortly."

With that, Callie and Alison took plates and chose their breakfasts. They had just taken their seats when Orin Brandon entered the dinning room.

"Good morning ladies," he announced himself. "And how is that healthy lunged granddaughter of mine?" He laughed at the looks he got from both Alison and Callie.

"She's a bit tired this morning," Alison offered, collecting herself quickly.

"And no wonder. She was not sleeping well last night." Orin gathered a large plate of food, and took his seat. "And where is Vernon?"

"He's indisposed." Savannah answered for Alison.

"Indisposed?" Orin looked up from his plate. "What does that mean. This is breakfast. He knows that he is expected to be here. The workmen will be arriving soon, and he is to supervise the repairs to the house." Orin was turning a deep shade of red, as his anger increased. Alison had never seen her father-in-law angry, so she was quite surprised by his sudden eruption. "Molly!" he yelled.

Molly came dashing out of the kitchen. "Yes, Mister Orin."

"Go up and tell my son that he is expected for breakfast. _Now_!"

Molly looked terrified, but did as she was told. It was only a minute later that everyone heard a crash from the west wing, and Molly come running down the stairs. Tears rolled down her face, as she held her hand over her right cheek. Alison jumped up and ran to her, as she saw the blood running through her fingers.

"Mister Vernon says that he answers to no slave, and that he will get up..." with a look of abject fear, Molly stopped and stared at Orin.

"Say it." He said to her very quietly.

"He said that he will get up when he fu...fuck...fucking well pleases." As Molly finished, she ducked her head, as if to avoid another blow.

By the time she had finished, Savannah was handing Alison a towel to clean up Molly's hand, while she checked the cut on her face. Everyone stood and watched Orin Brandon as he grew an even deeper red, then stood up from his seat.

"Orin," Savannah tried to calm her husband. She placed Alison's hand on the towel on Molly's cheek and went to him. "Orin please. You know what the doctor said. You need to try to stay calm.

Orin simply looked at her and Savannah backed away from him. She gathered the women to her end of the table and sat Molly in her chair. They all watched as Orin kicked his chair out from behind his legs and turned to leave the room. They couldn't take their eyes off him, as he slowly walked out of the room and up the stairs of the west wing. They continued to watch the doorway even though he was long out of sight. The vision of Orin Brandon, angry, was too appalling to allow them to look away.

* * *

><p>Please remember to <strong>review<strong>.

Is there too much...**GET ON WITH IT**... going on?

If so leave a review so I know how you feel.

**I'm not the mind reader!**

**PLEASE... please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her ****Twilight Saga**** series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

**Destruction and Repairs**

"Alexander," Savannah yelled over her shoulder.

The large black head-gardener stepped through the kitchen door. He had been waiting at the kitchen table to receive his instructions for the day. When he saw the blood on Molly's face, concern and anger crossed his, but he quickly covered them both.

"Yes, Miss Savannah."

"Run for Doctor Wilton." Savannah's eyes were on the ceiling, aimed toward the west wing, but she looked down when Alexander hadn't left immediately. She saw his eyes on Molly and understood. "Then run for Doc Sam." Alexander smiled and was out the front door in a flash.

Then the crashing started. As the violence on the upper floor escalated with the sound of breaking furniture, Savannah sent Callie into the kitchen to heat water for both Molly, and whomever survived what was happening upstairs. Alison quickly cleaned Molly's blood from the floor then removed the soiled towels onto a pile just inside the kitchen door. Before long, Callie returned to the table with a large bowl of warm water, and Savannah began to clean Molly's cut face. She noticed that it wasn't deep, but it did continue to bleed. She was sure that Doc Sam would have to stitch it closed.

Savannah helped Molly to the kitchen and seated her at the table. Callie removed the bowl of water and washed it out, so the doctor could have fresh warm water when he arrived. By the time the conflict in the west wing had ended, all evidence of anything out of the ordinary had been removed from the dinning room. Even Orin's chair had been righted and awaited his return. Molly shooed everyone out of the kitchen and back to their seats. She knew that Orin Brandon would not approve of all of them being in the kitchen with her, and she did not want to be the target of a new deluge of his anger, once he had satisfied this bout on Vernon.

Savannah was terrified, partly because she wasn't sure who she hoped to come down the stairs first. With his improved behavior the last two days, she was leaning toward her husband. For Alison's sake, she also hoped for Orin to triumph over Vernon. As she looked toward her daughter-in-law, she saw fear in her eyes as well. Savannah reached out to hold her hand and gave her a small smile. Callie looked down at Mary Alice, and was surprised to see that she was still sound asleep. She took her seat and followed the example set by the other two women. She sat with the same stoic exterior that Savannah and Alison attempted to portray. And with nothing more than that one act of resiliency and courage, Callie recognized the pain these two women lived with and vowed to be of help to Alison, and Savannah if she would allow it.

Savannah kept her eyes on the doorway, while Alison kept her eyes on the cradle that contained Mary Alice. As footsteps sounded on the staircase, all three women stiffened. The sound of labored breathing grew louder as the footsteps crossed the foyer, until Savannah gasped and squeezed Alison's hand tightly. Alison and Callie turned at the same time, to see Orin Brandon shuffle slowly to his seat. He nodded to the women as he pulled out his chair to sit down, and Savannah immediately left hers. She rushed to him, and examined the few scrapes and scratches he had on his face. Mostly she was concerned for his breathing.

"Slowly, please." She whispered to him. "Doctor Wilton will be here soon," she told him.

"I don't need a doctor," he huffed between shallow breathes, but he turned to her with a small smile on his blue tinged lips. "I'm fine, mother."

The knock at the door startled everyone. Alison rose to answer it, waving Savannah off so she could stay near Orin and continue to calm him and relax his breathing. Doctor Wilton entered the house out of breath.

"Some of the roads are still full of debris, so I just ran here." He informed Alison. "What has happened."

"Mary Alice and I are fine," Alison saw the doctor relax a bit, "but perhaps you should take a look at the elder Mister Brandon. I'm afraid he's quite-agitated." Alison informed him, as they walked to the dinning room.

Doctor Wilton set his black bag on the floor next to Orin's chair, and began by checking his pulse. By the time he had finished with Orin, he was breathing easier and his scratches has been treated.

"Whatever it was that you have been doing, sir, you need to not do it anymore." Doctor Wilton looked down at his patient. "This is not good for your heart."

"I do understand," Orin replied. "But while you are here, you may wish to check on my son." Orin looked toward the doorway. "I believe that he may be making his way down, now."

Everyone looked toward the door, except Alison. She kept her eyes on the cradle containing Mary Alice. She heard Vernon shuffle toward his chair and sit next to her at the table.

"Get me coffee, wife," he demanded of her.

Alison rose and turned away from him to go to the buffet table. She poured coffee from the carafe and sweetened it to his liking. She tried to look over his head as she placed the cup in front of him, but her hands were shaking so badly she nearly spilled it. When the cup was finally placed safely in front of her husband, she started to take her seat. Vernon turned to Alison and glared at her at the same moment she glanced to her right to see if the doctor was moving to check on him. She gasped, and raised the back of her hand to her mouth when she saw Vernon's face. His left eye was nearly lost in puffy folds of purple and red, his lips were swollen and bleeding, and the right side of his face was beginning to turn a horrible shade of purple and black.

Doctor Wilton had been frozen in place until Alison had gasped. He watched Vernon glare at her, as she backed away from the threat of violence his physical presence radiated. When he got to Vernon, Alison had stopped and stood near Savannah's chair, unable to move. She was frozen with one hand gripping the back of the chair and the other still in front of her mouth. He would have to check on her later, but first he had to see to Vernon. He examined his face for broken bones and loose teeth. He checked Vernon's head and eyes for signs of a concussion. Then he began to examine the rest of his body. He found a couple broken ribs, but everything else was just soft tissue bruising.

Doctor Wilton began binding Vernon's chest, to secure the broken ribs, and gave advise for the bruising.

"You are going to be stiff and in pain for several days," Doctor Wilton told Vernon. "You should take it easy for the next few days."

"I'll have Alexander dig out that old wheel chair," Orin offered. "You remember that one your grandfather used for all those years." He told Vernon, then addressed the doctor again. "He can supervise the workmen from it." He then began to eat his cold breakfast.

After Vernon's ribs were bound, the doctor moved to Alison. She still had not moved, but her hand was slowly dropping away from her face.

"Mrs. Brandon," the doctor called gently, "perhaps you should sit for a moment." He guided her to the chair next to Vernon, with her back to him, and examined her eyes.

Savannah was at the doctor's side in a flash.

"Is she alright?" Savannah asked.

"Just some mild shock." Doctor Wilton straightened and looked at his hostess calmly. "She needs rest." He smiled at Savannah and nodded to Orin.

"Please stay for breakfast," Orin offered.

"It looks and smells wonderful, but I must be getting on to the hospital. Your man caught me just as I was leaving for the hospital, for the day. So many are still recovering." He nodded to each member of the family and Savannah showed him to the door.

"Thank you for all your help, Doctor Wilton." Savannah held the door for him.

"Mrs. Brandon, try to keep them all calm. I know it's a big job, but this sort of activity is not good for your husband's heart—nor, it appears, is it good for your son's health. As for the younger Mrs. Brandon, she lost quite a lot of blood in the birth of your granddaughter. She needs a calm and quiet environment to recuperate in."

"Thank you Doctor. I'll do all I can."

"I'm sure you will," and the good doctor smiled and left.

When Savannah returned to the dinning room, everyone was eating their breakfast in complete silence. She took her chair, and continued to eat her cold breakfast, as well.

"What did the doctor have to say," Orin asked conversationally.

"He said that this sort of behavior was not good for your heart, or Vernon's health." Orin began to chuckle. "And that Alison needs a calm quiet environment to recuperate properly."

"Well, we'll just have to try to keep it down a bit," Orin smiled at his daughter-in-law.

Vernon seemed to take offense to Orin's attitude. "Look at me," he yelled at his father. "Do you see my face? And you're worried about..."

Orin slammed his fist on the table hard enough to scatter dishes, in all directions, all the way down the table. Alison jumped up and backed herself up to the buffet table, without taking her eyes from Vernon. Orin looked at her in surprise, then noticed that she was watching his son, not him. Just then, Mary Alice made her discomfort, at the days proceedings, known. Callie quickly gathered her up, and excused herself. She also watched Vernon as she left the room.

"Why are these women afraid of you?" Orin pointed his fork at his son. "And why would a near stranger to this house presume to protect an infant from her father?"

It was then that Savannah understood that her husband had believed Vernon's implication that Alison had been injured in the hurricane. "Orin, please. Perhaps now is not the time." She rose to go to Alison. "Alison, would you mind going to your rooms. You look like you could use a rest." Savannah smiled and Alison left the room, hugging the wall and never taking her eyes off Vernon. "Orin, could we please talk?"

"Very well, mother," but his eyes also never left Vernon. "I believe you have finished, son. The workmen will be here shortly. Perhaps you should go out and prepare for them." Then he called for Alexander and had the wheelchair brought to the front of the house. "Now mother, what is it," he said after Vernon has shuffled out the front door.

"Orin, you must remain calm. I thought you understood this, but I see now that you had no idea." Orin recognized this as Savannah's way of getting to a point that he was not going to like. "You have to accept that you have punished Vernon enough. and that will have to suffice."

"What is it, mother," this time it was not a question.

"Will you give me one moment to check on Molly?" He waved her off impatiently. Savannah entered the kitchen just as Doc Sam was cleaning up from stitching Molly's face. She checked the work and paid the doctor. "When you're ready Molly, please step into the dinning room." Molly nodded and Savannah returned to her chair at the dinning room table.

"And how is Molly?" Orin asked, sipping at a fresh cup of coffee.

"She has several stitches, but will heal fine."

"Now, you will continue. I am calm, and I understand the need to not beat our son again. So, what is it."

"Alison was not injured in the hurricane." Savannah stated simply.

She watched as Orin turned several shades of red and purple, before finally calming himself.

"Alright," he finally said. "He and I will discuss that, calmly, at another time. But that does not explain Mrs. Preston's behavior with Mary Alice."

Savannah turned at the sound of Molly entering the room.

"Molly, would you please tell Mr. Orin what you heard earlier this morning?" Savannah looked at Molly, and smiled to reassure her. "It's alright."

Molly took a step forward. "Yes, Miss Savannah." She nodded to Orin. "I thought I heard a noise early this morning. It was just before dawn. Mister Vernon was coming in. I did not catch him as he came in, so I went up the stairs to see if there was anything he needed. I thought he might want some coffee. But when I got to their rooms..." Molly hesitated.

"It's alright Molly. You were well within the scope or your responsibilities."

"Mister Vernon was—yelling at Miss Alison. I only heard the last of it. He told her to keep her brat quiet." Molly took a step back and lowered her head.

"Thank you Molly. Have Tella take over the kitchen duties for the day. I would prefer for you to keep an eye on Miss Alison. See that she rests."

"Alexander," Orin bellowed, and the gardener came bounding in from the kitchen, where he had been waiting since he had pulled the wheelchair into the front of the house.

"Yes, Mister Orin."

"Have Vernon's things taken from the west wing, and moved to any room on the far side of the east wing. See that there are proper working facilities on that side of the house. He should have no reason to enter the west wing at all."

"Yes, Mister Orin."

"Do it now, Alexander. If Vernon asks, you are working under my orders today. And Alexander," Orin thought for a moment before making a final decision, "move Molly's things to the vacated room." Then he addressed Molly. "Molly, you will see to it that Miss Alison rests and assist Miss Callie with Mary Alice. That shall be your job until further notice."

"Yes, Mister Orin." And Alexander was gone in a shot.

"Yes, Mister Orin," Molly nodded and left for the kitchen, to inform the others of the changes in job assignments.

Savannah took a deep breath, and let it out slow before she said another word. "Thank you, Orin."

"For what, mother?"

"For staying calm. I do so fear losing you too soon."

"You have not always felt that way, mother."

Savannah looked down at her empty plate, and frowned. "That is true," she whispered.

"Have I pleased you in some way?" Orin smiled at her.

"These last few days-greatly-my husband."

"I am pleased to hear that." Orin Brandon rose from his chair and walked to Savannah. He kissed her on the top of her head then whispered in her ear. "It seems I have been wrong about a great many things. I only hope it is not too late to correct some of them."

Savannah looked up into the eyes of her husband. "No, Orin. Not too late...for everything."

"Good," and he walked toward the front door. "Now I must have a...calm...conversation with my son." And he left the house.

Savannah began clearing the table, as Orin stepped out onto the front stoop and stood next to Vernon. The workmen were approaching the house, so Orin waited until Vernon had given his instructions to the men before he began his conversation.

"I promised your mother that I would remain calm," he started without looking down at his son. Vernon continued to watch the workman, as they began unloading there wagons and seting up their tools and ladders. "She has informed me that Alison's did not sustain her injuries in the hurricane."

"I never said that they were directly caused by the hurricane."

"Not in those words, but you did imply. You were very close to telling me a lie." Orin took a few deep breaths to calm himself, before continuing. "You do realize that your behavior caused the premature birth of your daughter."

"Her daughter. I requested a son."

"We cannot choose these things. When it comes to childbirth, we get what we get, and are thankful if the child is healthy. Not only did you jeopardize the life of your child, you jeopardized the life of your wife as well. And now you say that you are denying the child, simply because she is of the wrong gender to suit you?" Orin had to take more deep breaths, and walk away from his son for a few minutes.

Vernon gave his father the time he needed to calm down. He was not ready, physically, to have another go-around with him. When Orin began to breath normally again, and had returned to Vernon's side, it was his turn to do the talking.

"I was not the one that wanted this marriage," Vernon continued to watch the workmen, but kept his father in his peripheral vision. "You were the one that decided that Alison was the one for me. You forced me to court her. You had me play the generous, lonely suitor, all so she would fall in love with me. It was you who made the proposal to her parents. I never claimed to love her. You insisted on an heir. She did not provide it."

Orin Brandon was taken-aback by his sons complete lack of emotion concerning his daughter, and what he had done to his wife. He took several more deep breaths, but they were becoming difficult.

"How can you be so completely devoid of feeling?"

Vernon looked at his father, "I learned from the best." Then he turned back to the workmen.

"Your things have been moved to the east wing. You will have no reason to be in the west wing." Orin turned slowly and returned to the house. When he had closed the front door, he leaned his back against it and gave a great shuddering sigh.

Savannah, hearing him enter the house, stepped out of the dinning room and stared at him, terrified. Orin was pale and his breathing was shallow. When he raised his head his lips were tinged with blue again, and his eyes were pleading and filled with fear.

"What have I done?" he breathed to her, then slowly slid down the door to the floor.

Savannah ran to her husband, yelling for Molly and Alexander. When she reached Orin, she found that he was alive but his breathing was very shallow, and his heart seamed to be racing. She loosened his tie and wiped the sweat from his face with her dress. When he arrived, she sent Alexander to fetch the doctor for the second time that day, then had Molly help her move Orin to the parlor. There, they situated him on the small couch, and waited for the doctor to arrive. Molly rushed to the kitchen and returned with a basin of cool water and a towel, so Savannah could continue to wipe the sweat from her husband's face and forehead.

Orin woke up to Savannah loosening his shirt, in preparation for the doctor's arrival. He reached his hand to stop her, and hold her hand.

"Wife," Orin breathed.

"Yes husband." Savannah's eyes began to fill with tears.

"I have wronged you in so many ways." He kissed the back of the hand he held.

She felt the coldness of his lips, as they brushed the back of her hand. "Don't," she used her free hand to continue to wipe away the sweat that poured down his face.

"No. Now is the time. You tried to warn me that my behavior would be an example to our son. And he became my son instead of ours. I have created an unfeeling spoiled child of a man. I have done this, and you still stayed with me. I was unfaithful to you, and you knew this, and still you stayed with me. Why?"

"Quiet, the doctor is on his way."

"Answer me, in case he does not make it in time."

Savannah held back tears, as she looked into her husband's eyes. "Because I loved you. Maybe not as much as I did when we first married. But I do still love you."

"I have been a fool." Orin closed his eyes and sank into the couch.

Savannah checked him, and found he was still breathing when Molly showed Doctor Wilton into the parlor.

* * *

><p>I have been told that people are having problems reviewing.<p>

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	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her ****Twilight Saga**** series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**A Taste of Death**

Alison slept for several hours. It was early afternoon when Mary Alice became inconsolable, and the crying woke her. She dressed, and entered the parlor to find Callie rocking Mary Alice, with little success. Molly was sitting near the door watching helplessly as Callie struggled with the squirming, screaming child. She stood when Alison entered the room.

"Miss Alison?" Molly began, as Alison started to approach Callie and reached for Mary Alice. "Miss Savannah told me to wait until you woke, but then I was to bring you to her right away."

"What is wrong, Molly?" Alison noticed that Callie sat quietly with her head down, as if she were concentrating on Mary Alice.

"Please, Miss Alison. We should go now." Molly seemed agitated, so Alison nodded to Callie and followed Molly out the door. "Miss Savannah is in her rooms, with Mister Orin."

Molly led Alison down the hall to the elder Brandon's rooms. She silently held the door to Orin's room open, so Alison could enter. There she saw Savannah sitting next to the bed, holding the hand of the very pale Orin Brandon. Alison caught her breath as she advanced slowly into the room. Her usually vibrantly active father-in-law was lying in the bed, propped up with pillows, breathing shallow and looking to be at death's door. Alison stood next to Savannah and placed her hand on the woman's shoulder.

"What happened?" Alison whispered. "He seemed fine when the doctor left."

Savannah shook her head slowly, glancing up at Alison, then back to the face of her husband. "Doctor Wilton will be back later. He sais it is just a matter of time." Savannah took a deep shuddering breath and leaned her head onto Alison's hand.

"Where is Vernon?" Alison whispered.

Savannah straightened her back and spoke in a tight lipped whisper. "He said he must continue to supervise the workmen. He refuses to come to his father's bedside."

Just then Orin's eyes opened and he looked from Savannah to Alison. "Ali, my dear child," he forced out. "I have spoken to Matthew," he took a small breath, "Connelly. You must divorce Vernon. You must!" He tried to sit up but his strength had abandoned him and Savannah was easily able to push him back down into his pillows. He lay there for a moment before he continued. "There is a fund being set up for you and Mary Alice." He closed his eyes and a tear began to roll down his cheek. "You must escape this..." His voice trailed off and his body went limp.

Savannah rose to check his breathing. "He's still alive," she breathed, and resumed her seat.

"Divorce?" Alison could hardly believe what her father-in-law had not only suggested, but had asked his lawyer to begin processing. She looked to Savannah, shock and fear in her eyes. "Divorce? Savannah, I can't. What would people say? Where would we go? How would we live?"

Savannah stood and guided Alison to her chair. She held her hand in hers and sat on the edge of Orin's bed, to talk to her.

"My husband has come to the realization that his son—our son," Savannah hung her head in shame, unable to meet Alison's eyes, "has not turned out the way he...we had hoped. Vernon has shown his true colors." She raised her head to see Alison's face. "He fears for your life. And for Mary Alice."

Alison caught her breath. "Vernon would not..." She couldn't finish, as she knew perfectly well that Vernon could, and if he was sure he could get away with it, would kill their daughter. "But _divorce_," Alison shook her head.

"Many women have done it. Left their husbands and started over somewhere else." Savannah's eyes pleaded with Alison.

"I don't know if I'm that strong." Alison looked at her hand, held snuggly by Savannah, as tears began to roll down her cheeks. "I don't know what to do." Alison looked at Savannah, her eyes pleading with her to understand.

"Decisions need to be made," Savannah glanced toward Orin, "and soon."

Alison nodded and rose to leave the room. "Mary Alice has been completely inconsolable," she told Savannah. "I should see if I can help Callie with her." She didn't look at Savannah, as she left the room, but she did look back at Orin before closing the door behind her.

Alison quickly returned to her rooms and found Mary Alice still crying weakly. Callie was in tears as well.

"I'm sorry, Miss Alison. I just don't know what's wrong. I've tried everything. She just won't stop." She stood at Alison's gesture, and waited for her to sit, before handing Mary Alice to her.

"Go get some rest while you can." Alison gave Callie a sad smile.

Callie nodded to Alison, and shuffled tiredly to her room and closed the door. Alison began to rock Mary Alice. She shushed her gently and wiped her wet, purple face with a corner of the soft blanket she was wrapped in.

"Hush now," she whispered into her forehead, as her lips brushed a kiss there. "Hush now, mommy's here." Mary Alice's sobs began to slow and dwindle down to quick shuddered breaths, as she began to calm. Her eyes opened wide, and she looked at her mother. "I see you, my beautiful sweetheart." Alison nuzzled her daughter, and held her close. "Things may be happening soon," Alison confided in her daughter, as she looked off into the empty space of the room. "Hard things...sad things. But you, my precious darling, you must be strong, and calm." Alison realized that she was talking to herself, not her daughter. "We must be strong. There will be hard times ahead, but we will face them together, you and I." She looked down, and into Mary Alice's wide open eyes. "But you," she smiled and nuzzled Mary Alice again, "you must stop this crying. You must eat, and sleep, and do all the things a good baby must do, to grow up strong and happy." Mary Alice turned her head into her mothers body, put her fist in her mouth and closed her eyes.

Alison leaned back against the back of the rocking chair, and relaxed as well as she could. She could not wrap her mind around the idea of a divorce. It simply wasn't done. Not in polite society. And Orin Brandon, so close to death. Tears began to fall slowly down her face. Mary Alice began to wake and fuss, but Alison shushed her and continued to rock. The last few days had been far to eventful for her. It was all more than she could even begin to process. She dozed as she rocked her daughter. She lapsed into a dreamless sleep, clinging tightly to Mary Alice.

It was much later in the evening when Mary Alice woke screaming. Alison woke with a start, looking around herself, to get her bearings. Then she heard crying from down the hall.

"Hush Mary Alice." Alison tried to sooth her daughter. "Hush, now," she whispered as she stood carefully and started toward the door. Just then Callie appeared from her room.

"I'll take her," Callie offered. "She's probably hungry." Then Callie heard it too. The crying. "Miss Savannah?" Callie inquired of Alison.

"Oh no," Alison breathed, as she handed Mary Alice to Callie. "No!" She felt her eyes begin to tear.

As she reached for the door to the hall, it flew open and crashed against the wall. Alison took a quick step back, as she saw Vernon standing in the doorway. The bruises and swelling of his face, gave his one good eye a maniacal look, as he leered at Alison. He winced with every breath as he clung to the door frame.

"I," he breathed, "am the man of this house, now."

Alison saw his cracked and broken lips turn up into a malicious smile.

"I, now run this house," and he turned and began to laugh.

Alison watched as he shuffled down the hall, in the direction of the east wing. She watched from the doorway as he continued to laugh, and used the wall of the hallway to support him as he slowly made his way back to his rooms. When he had moved far enough away, she slipped through the door and quietly made her way to Savannah. She kept her back to the wall, and frequently looked back, to make sure that Vernon had not turned around. When she slipped into Savannah's suite, she found Doctor Wilton standing over her mother-in-law, as she sat in an overstuffed chair crying. Alison stepped quickly to her and knelt in front of her.

"He's dead," Savannah sobbed to Alison. She reached down to grab hold of Alison. "Alison," Savannah held the younger woman at arms length, "Mathew Connelly did not return in time. Orin did not sign the papers." Alison could only stare at her mother-in-law with a questioning look. "Nothing was changed. Vernon has control of everything." Fear covered Savannah's face. Fear for Alison. Fear for Mary Alice. Even fear for herself.

"Surely you, as his wife..."

"Nothing," Savannah told her. "There was no time." Then she pulled Alison close to her, and hugged her with all her strength. "There was no time," she whispered again as her tears began to flow again.

The two women held each other until Savannah had cried herself out. Doctor Wilton had stood by patiently, until they finally separated.

"I can help you see to the arrangements." he offered.

"Thank you, doctor," Savannah said, and nodded in agreement.

"I'll be back tomorrow, to escort you to the necessary vendors." Doctor Wilton nodded to them both, walked to Orin's bedroom door and closed it before leaving them alone.

As he was leaving, Molly knocked on the still open door.

"Yes, Molly." Savannah said. "What is it?"

"Mister Vernon requested the presence of you and Miss Alison, for dinner." Molly looked frightened, as her eyes darted to the closed door then back to the women.

"Would you tell Mister Vernon that I will take my dinner in my rooms." Savannah glanced at Alison, and she nodded. "And Miss Alison will be joining me."

"I'm sorry," Molly started, scarcely above a whisper. Her head was down and she refused to look at either woman. "Mister Vernon thought you might say that. He said to say... "You tell those two bitches that they will eat with me, or starve." I'm so sorry..." Molly began to cry.

"Tell Mister Vernon that we will be down shortly." Savannah amended.

"Miss Alison," Molly began again, "Mister Vernon said not to bring Mary Alice to the table. He said that Miss Callie can eat on your rooms."

"Thank goodness for that," Alison whispered to herself as she nodded to Molly. "See that Miss Callie is informed," she said for Molly to hear. Molly quietly left the room, closing the door behind her.

"We have been summoned for dinner," Savannah said to Alison, as she stood. "We might as well get it over with." She pulled Alison to her feet, and locked her arm with hers. "Shall we?"

Savannah wiped away her tears and turned Alison toward the door. She felt the reluctance in her daughter-in-law, and drew her closer.

"Hold your head up, dear." Savannah told her. "And pretend. Use your imagination, and, for just a little while, pretend that you are happily married to the man of your dreams. It's all a game of make-believe. Just hold your head up and smile." And they walked down to the dinning room together.

Savannah whispered to Alison the entire way, encouraging her to smile and pretend she was happy. By the time they reached the bottom of the stairs, Alison had plastered a believable smile on her face. And by the time they had reached the dinning room, Alison was relaxing into the role that Savannah was coaching her for. When Savannah saw Vernon in Orin's chair, she nearly stumbled, but Alison caught her and helped to steady her, and they continued into the room.

"There will be a change in the seating," Vernon announced. "Alison, you will sit at the other end on the table." He extended his hand to indicate the appropriate chair. "In the seat of the mistress of the house." He then turned to his mother, with a frightening smile on his face. "Mother, you will sit to my right, for now." He gave her a stern look. "Should you prove unworthy of my right hand, I shall use it against you and move you to the left. Then Callie shall take her place on my right."

Once the two women were seated, Vernon called for dinner to be served. As they ate, Vernon began to inform them of the changes he planned to make, in the way the house was run.

"In a few days, the seating arrangement shall change again. Alison, you will sit to my right. Mother, you shall sit next to her. Callie will continue here, and shall sit to my left. Rita will be the new mistress of the house." Vernon called for the second course. "You, Mother, will teach Alison how to run the house, and she will eventually take over your duties." He cut his meat with zeal, as he told them how their lives would be changing, with the death of his father. "Rita will be moving into the east wing over the next week. There will be some furniture changes. She likes the bedroom suite you have." He glared at Alison. "We thought it would be nice for our son."

"That furniture belongs to me," Savannah spoke up. She continued to eat and held her head high, as she spoke. "It belonged to my mother. It is the one thing that came with me, when your father and I married."

"Very well, if you choose not to have it used for your grandson, then it will make wonderful firewood, to keep him warm on cool nights." He smiled at his mother as he chewed his dinner.

Savannah refused to look at her son. She would prefer that it be burned, rather than allow his mistress to touch a single piece of her furniture. "As you wish," she replied to him, still maintaining her socially perfect smile.

Alison felt her smile begin to slip, but caught herself and plastered it back into place, as Vernon turned to face her. She was glad that the seating was going to change. She wanted someone else, anyone else, to sit at the head of the table and stare at Vernon while eating. The view was beginning to turn her stomach.

"So many issues to discuss tonight," Vernon mumbled to them. "Father's burial arrangements will be taken care of tomorrow. By me." Vernon was adamant about this point. "I will not have you wasting my money on the dead."

Savannah slammed her fork down on the table, and looked at Vernon, the smile finally gone. "Doctor Wilton will be escorting me in the morning, to the appropriate places, to see to the funeral. And wake. I know your father's wishes. I will see to the arrangements." Savannah's eyes bored into her son, but Vernon just smiled an evil smile.

"No, mother. Doctor Wilton will not be escorting you anywhere. Have you forgotten that father cut you out of the will?" He began to laugh again, as his eyes darted from his mother to Alison, and back. "Father left everything to me. His investments, his bank accounts, even this house." He raised his arms, fork and knife still in his hands. "It's all mine." His arms fell to the table with a crash. "And you will live as I see fit, as long as you wish to remain under my roof."

Vernon continued eating again, calling for his dessert. "You still have your black dress from grandfather's funeral, mother. You shall wear that for all services. Find another in your vast wardrobe, to alter for Alison. I expect you both dressed appropriately by morning." He took a large slice of the cake that was served as dessert, and began to stuff huge forkfuls into his mouth.

Alison and Savannah finished their meal in silence. Vernon allowed them to refuse the cake, and excused them from the table. They helped each other up the staircase and retreated to Savannah's rooms. Once there, Savannah searched her wardrobe and found the dress Vernon ordered her to wear, then a further search produced another dress, suitable for altering. The women worked in silence, both afraid to utter a sound for fear that they would fall into uncontrollable sobs. They hung Savannah's dress on the door of the wardrobe and began to brush it out for wearing the next day. Alison took the other dress to her rooms, to begin to alter it to fit her. Savannah soon followed.

Callie had finished her dinner, and was rocking Mary Alice when they arrived. She watched as the two women moved around the room gathering what they would need, in complete silence. Alison removed her dress and allowed Savannah to lower the black fabric over her head, wrong side out. Savannah then began to pin the dress where it was needed, then helped Alison out of it.

"Let me do this," Savannah whispered. "You see to Mary Alice."

Callie surrendered the rocker to Alison, then placed Mary Alice in her arms. As Alison held her daughter, the tears that had filled her eyes began to fall. She looked down into Mary Alice's eyes and, for a moment, thought she saw fear in them.

"There is nothing for you to fear, Mary Alice." Alison whispered to her. "We will see to your safety. Callie will always keep you safe," she looked up at the young wet-nurse, and friend. "You will, won't you? If need be, you will take her to a safe place, won't you?"

"Of course I will," Callie promised, confused and becoming frightened by both Alison and Savannah's behavior.

"See, Mary Alice. Callie will always be there for you." Alison nuzzled her daughter.

The three women worked through the night, altering and hemming the dress. Alison spent as much time as possible with Mary Alice, sure that her time with her daughter was going to be limited. Alison would murmur to Mary Alice when she was awake, but other than that, they worked quietly, talking only when necessary. Alison prepared Callie for the changes in the household, and suggested that she remain in the rooms as much as possible, with Mary Alice. When the work was done, they all retired to their rooms, and tried to sleep for what little was left of the night.

Savannah lay in her bed, knowing that the body of her husband was in the next room. Her mind replayed the past, both good and bad, and refused to allow her to sleep. Alison lay in her bed, worrying about her future. She was sure that it was only a matter of time before her husband demanded she perform her wifely duties, and supply him with a legitimate son. Callie listened as Alison tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She too was thinking about the future, and Mary Alice. Alison's words had frightened her. She was sure that Alison was trying to say good-bye to both her and Mary Alice.

All three women feared for the future, but Mary Alice slept through most of it. Her thoughts were too scattered and infantile for her to understand what they meant, but she felt the fear emanating from the three most important women in her life. She felt and understood that something was happening to change everything in her life. And she was sure that the man that hated her was the cause. But she was a baby, and could do nothing about the things she felt.

Mary Alice woke for a short time during the night. She saw the man looking down at her, and she was afraid, too afraid to make a sound, and then he was gone. Images flashed through her mind. Frightening images, but she didn't understand them. She lay quietly until she fell back to sleep, the images forgotten.

* * *

><p>Still not getting many review. Thank you Brenda, for reading and sending me an email and telling me what you think of my story. It means a lot.<p>

**Please review!**

**I really want to know what you think.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her ****Twilight Saga**** series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contain scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including **rape** and death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

**Sadness, Rage, and Pain**

The following week dragged by. Orin Brandon was buried with as little pomp and circumstance as Vernon could force, without appearing like the unfeeling bastard that he was. The announcement came in the next day's newspaper, and he was buried the following day. The service was small, because no one had time to prepare. Everyone was still reeling from the hurricane. Still healing their own wounds and repairing their own lives. The wake was nearly nonexistent, but Savannah still played the part of the stoic widow, while Alison stayed, constantly, at her side.

As much as he tried to hide it, Vernon's joy, at his father's death, was noticed by those closest to the family. Words of condolence and sympathy were lavished on Savannah and Alison, but Vernon was usually avoided. This only made him angrier, and he took it out on anyone close to him. He was careful not to injure Alison, but the servants were fair game. Molly trembled constantly. All it took was a single word from Vernon, and she either dropped, or hugged tightly, whatever she was carrying, and would fall, immediately, into tears. Alexander had disappeared. Alison had heard that he had found work on Deer Island, and she wished him well. After that, Vernon warned that any more who left, would be hunted down and flogged. He couldn't legally do it, but he had friends who would, and could, help him.

One week to the day, after the death of Orin Brandon, everything changed for Alison. Rita had finally finished her move into the east wing of the house. Alison's furniture had been replaced with inferior furnishings from long unused parts of the house, and Savannah's beautiful set had been broken down into firewood. Savannah was forced to watch, as her family's furniture was reduced to a large pile of scrap wood. Her smile was made easier, knowing that Rita showed such regret at the demolition.

Alison, Savannah and Callie spent the majority of their time in Alison's parlor. Mary Alice was lavished with the affections of the three, and her life continued as peaceful as they could make it. Vernon left them alone, unless he needed them for a public display, or at dinner. He refused to allow them to miss a dinner with him. He seemed to enjoy his nightly torture sessions with them. On the day that Rita took over the seat of mistress of the house, Vernon made sure a special dinner was served. Callie was required to attend dinner that first night, as well.

Alison took her seat at Vernon's right, with Savannah next to her. Callie made sure that Mary Alice was fed well and dry, then she reported to the dinning room with the others. When everyone was seated, Vernon called for the first course to be served. The room fell silent, as they ate their soup. Silent, except for the sound of Rita slurping her soup.

"It's very good, isn't it?" She smiled at everyone as she continued to eat. She noticed the smiles plastered to the faces of her female dinner companions, and dropped all other attempts at conversation.

Vernon smiled at her, but even he was disturbed by her loud soup slurping. He chose this time to announce new schedules, especially for Callie.

"Callie, beginning tomorrow morning, you will feed my son, Virgil, before seeing to my wife's child. You will be sure to feed him before her, at each and every meal."

"But I will not have enough milk to supply two babies!" She exclaimed. "Mary Alice will suffer from such a change in her feeding schedule."

Vernon worked to control his temper. He wanted to keep a wet-nurse in the house. Allowing his temper to touch her might cause her to leave, and then where would he be?

"That child is a plump ball of overfed fat." He announced congenially. "She will fair just fine, until your milk increases to supply both of them fully. Until that time, she will simply have to live on my son's leavings."

And that was the end of any discussion. Vernon's word was law. Callie continued eating, her eyes brimming with tears. Alison cleared her throat quietly. When Callie looked up at her, she gave her chin a jerk upwards, and smiled at her friend. Callie fought back the tears, took a deep breath, and plastered the practiced smile back on her face.

"As you wish, Mister Vernon." She finally replied, and Alison nodded at her.

Alison would have to find a way to supplement Mary Alice's meals, to take the place of the milk that would be going to Vernon's illegitimate child. Savannah grabbed her hand, under the table, and gave her a small wink, unseen by either Vernon or Rita. She let things settle for a few minutes, then she addressed Vernon.

"Son," Savannah started. "Mary Alice is doing well, so we would like to take her for a walk along the Beach road, tomorrow-with your permission, of course." Savannah than continued to eat her main course, as Vernon considered his response.

"By "we" you mean who?" He asked.

"Callie, Alison, and myself. We have been in this house, except for required engagements, for over a week. Some fresh air will do us all good." Savannah smiled at him.

"Alison, you feel up to a walk along the shore?" He asked.

"A short walk, with rest stops. Yes, I think I can accomplish that." Alison smiled at him as well.

"Very well. The salty sea air may be just the thing. Have Molly pull out my old carriage for the child. The new one has been moved for Virgil's use." Vernon smiled to himself, as he called for the dessert course, that only he and Rita would be eating.

"Since you, again, refuse the sweet course, you my all be excused to your rooms." Vernon dismissed them, and they thanked him and silently left the room.

Once back in Alison's parlor, excitement flowed freely through all three of them.

"I never thought I'd see the day when a simple walk would make me so excited." Callie said through a massive smile that she couldn't seem to dim.

"A walk along the shore!" Savannah clasped her hands together and fell into a padded chair. She, too, had a grin that went from ear to ear. "We must get Molly to bring up the carriage as soon as possible. I'm sure it will need some cleaning, before we could dream of putting Mary Alice into it."

Alison looked down into the cradle that contained Mary Alice, and saw that she was awake, her bright eyes twinkling back at her.

"Well, my little love," she said while pulling her out of the cradle, "guess what you're going to do tomorrow?" Alison twirled around with Mary Alice held firmly in her outstretched hands, laughing as she went. "You're going for a walk along the sea shore." Alison finished by sitting in the rocking chair. "And we will have such fun," she held Mary Alice close and kissed her cheeks.

All three women were laughing and chatting, when Molly knocked on the door and wheeled in the the carriage.

"Oh my!" Savannah looked over the old baby carriage and crossed her arms, doubtfully.

"We have the night to clean it up and repair it." Callie refused to be stymied by anything, especially a dilapidated baby carriage.

"We'll take it to my parlor," Savannah offered. "Alison, you stay here with Mary Alice. When Molly finishes with her other duties, she can come and sit with her. Then you come join us."

"Yes, Miss Savannah. I would love to spend some time with the baby." Molly was grinning with excitement.

Alison felt a little left out, but she also loved the idea of spending more time with her baby girl.

"Alright," she relented.

"I should feed her before we leave," Callie offered.

"She just ate before dinner," Alison said, looking down at her daughter. "I think she'll be just fine." She suddenly looked back up at both Callie and Savannah. "But what are we going to do about Vernon's newest proclamation?"

"Not to worry," Savannah told her with a broad grin. "I still have my mother's old recipe, a replacement for mother's milk, and Vernon's old bottles. There's a small shop along the beach road, that sells the nipples and rings we will need. I was concerned that Vernon would try to do something to harm Mary Alice, so I had Molly pull out and clean the bottles, two days ago. I have some money hidden away, for emergencies. I consider this an emergency. I will do everything I can to protect my darling granddaughter."

Alison relaxed into the rocker. She could only beam at Savannah, with a ridiculous grin on her face.

"How did I get so lucky, as to have you as both my mother-in-law, and my friend." Alison said and settled in to spend some quality time with Mary Alice.

Savannah and Callie took the baby carriage out the door that Molly opened for them.

"I should be no more than an hour, Miss Alison," Molly told her, as she slipped out the door behind the others.

Alison was finally alone. She took Mary Alice into her bedroom and laid her on the bed. She opened the blanket she was wrapped in and watched as she squirmed and wiggled, stretching her arms and kicking her legs. Alison chuckled at her daughter's antics and held her fingers, so Mary Alice could see them and grab at them. Alison sighed when Mary Alice latched on to one of her fingers and hung on tightly. She tried with all her might, to bring the finger to her mouth. Alison gave in gently to her daughter's wishes, and her finger was pulled into her toothless mouth.

They played together quietly for several minutes, before Mary Alice suddenly screamed and began to thrash wildly on the bed. She still held tight to Alison's finger, and pulled on it almost desperately. Alison scooped her up and held her tight.

"What's wrong?" She asked the tiny squirming bundle.

Mary Alice continued to scream. Nothing Alison did could calm her daughter, then she felt a strong hand on her shoulder. Alison didn't have time to feel fear, only shock, as words hissed at her ear.

"So," his voice would have sounded almost gentle, if not for the hatred they conveyed, "you are well enough for a walk along the shore."

She only had time to raise her arms so Mary Alice was moved clear of her body, as she was shoved onto the bed, face first. Alison felt her skirt lifted over her legs, as Vernon held her in place by the neck.

"No. Please!" she tried to scream, but her voice was muffled by the mattress.

She felt his hands reach up and rip away her undergarments.

"Please!" Her tears ran into the bedding. "The doctor said I would..."

He leaned his full weight onto her back to hiss into her ear.

"The doctor can kiss my ass." He then laughed, his hot breath smelling like old wine. "If you are healed enough to walk, you are healed enough to grow me a son."

Mary Alice continued to wail, her tiny body just above Alison's head. Alison tried to reach back and grab Vernon's hands, but he was too strong for her. He held her easily with one hand. Then she heard him unbutton his trousers. He gave a loud groaning sigh and ground his groin into her bare thighs and behind.

"Please!" Alison cried. "Show some mercy, please."

"Shut up!" Vernon yelled at her.

He grabbed her by her hair and jerked her off the bed. He turned her to face him, holding her arms locked to her sides.

"You don't want me to hurt that little baby of yours, do you?" He spit the threat into her face, then grabbed her dress from her neck and ripped it down the front.

Alison stood before him, terrified for Mary Alice. She heard her wailing, and noticed how it had weakened. Vernon ignored the tears of both his wife and his daughter. He continued to rip Alison's dress from her. Then he ripped what was left of her undergarments from her, until she stood before him, naked.

He grabbed her breast and squeezed until she cried out in pain. His mouth crushed to hers until she was silent. He released her momentarily, to stand back and laugh at her.

"Now, I can finally do to you all the things I've dreamed of doing." And he closed in on her and shoved her back down onto the bed again, this time on her back.

He fell on her, pushing her legs apart, and sliding into her easily. He grabbed her hair with both his hands, as he rammed into her with all strength. His mouth tried to crush hers again, but she was able to turn her head enough that his mouth found her neck instead.

Vernon growled into her ear. "You will give me what I want." He pounded into her as his mouth moved to her breast. "You will always belong to me." He hissed as he bit into the flesh of her breast, circling her nipple. Alison screamed as this pain exceeded all the other pain he was creating.

"I know about my father's plan for a divorce," and he sucked at the nipple he had just bloodied with his bite. "But you are damaged merchandise now." He rose up off of her chest, as her finished in her. "Yeeesssss," he groaned and laughed. He looked down and watched the blood flow from her breast. He saw the blood on her thighs and on his groin and laughed louder.

"Well look at that," he grabbed her by her hair again. "I guess you weren't as healed as you thought you were." Vernon pulled her off the bed, by her hair again, and turned her around, so her back was to him. "That's alright." He shoved her back onto the bed, face down. "I know a way I can take you, that won't do any more of that kind of damage." He laughed loudly again. "Unfortunately, it won't give me a son either."

He grabbed her wrists, as she tried to push herself up off the bed, and held them over her head. She heard him use his free hand to prepare himself to enter her in a way that she prayed he would not. She screamed again as he kicked her legs apart and lowered himself onto her backside.

"Loosen up, wife," he said as he slapped her behind hard. "It'll hurt less." Then he laughed and forced his way into her. His teeth bit into her back and shoulders, as he growled his satisfaction at her pain.

Alison had never felt such pain in her life. She screamed until she was like Mary Alice, only capable of unintelligible sobs, meant to be cries of agony and despair. Vernon continued to move inside her. The pain, having moved her to the brink of unconsciousness, had left her no voice with which to scream. And without her screams and pleas, Vernon found that the joy was gone. He pumped into her a few more times, until he was spent, then withdrew. She heard him button himself up and move toward her door.

"I'll give you a little more time to heal, wife." His voice was calm and relaxed. "It seems you were not as healed as both you and I thought." Then he chuckled and left her suite.

Alison's eyes opened and she saw that her bedroom door was open, but she didn't care. She forced her bruised and bleeding body to move. She pulled herself onto the bed and pulled Mary Alice closer to her. She curled herself around her child, as if to protect her.

"Shhhh," she whispered to Mary Alice. "Everything will be alright," Her voice sobbed to her. "Shhhh. Hush now." Alison kissed her daughter's tears, and pulled her even closer to her naked body, as she curled into a tight ball around her.

#

Molly took longer to finish her duties, than she had thought. An hour and a half after she had left Alison's rooms, she was back. She entered the parlor but didn't see either Alison or Mary Alice. Molly noticed that Alison's bedroom door was open, and thought it strange. She knew that Miss Alison always closed her door. Molly stepped to the door, with the intention of closing it, when she heard Mary Alice cooing from the bedroom.

"Miss Alison?" Molly called to her. When no one answered, she stepped around the door.

It only took a moment for Molly to see and know what had happened. She placed her hand over her mouth, turned and ran from the room. She found Savannah and Callie putting the finishing touches on the carriage, when she burst through the door to Savannah's parlor.

"Molly!" Savannah was startled by her sudden appearance. "Where's Miss Alison."

No words would pass through Molly's mouth. Only a strangled cry, as she pointed in the direction of Alison's suite. Savannah jumped to her feet and she and Callie raced to Alison's rooms. They entered the parlor in a rush, but Savannah held Callie back, as she quietly approached Alison's bedroom door alone. With all her heart she hoped she was wrong, but her head knew what had happened. As she rounded the door, she heard Mary Alice cooing from the direction of the bed. Then she saw Alison. Savannah fell to her knees and a strangled cry escaped her lips. Alison was still curled tightly around Mary Alice, blood still flowing from several bites, and rips in and on her body.

Savannah took a moment to collect herself, then stood and began to give orders.

"Molly, have the old tub brought to this room immediately. And bring several buckets. Start bringing hot water to fill it. Callie, find something to use as bandages, a clean white sheet. Tear it into strips, and squares as washing clothes."

"Miss Savannah?" Callie was afraid to move.

Savannah turned to her and gave her a gentle push. Callie did as she was instructed, praying all the time that Alison would be alright. Savannah reached into the linen closet in the parlor, and pulled out a stack of towels. She began to lay them on the floor, around the area where she wanted the tub to be placed. In a short time, two men, who had not abandoned the house as of yet, arrived at the room carrying a large porcelain coated metal tub. Savannah instructed them to set the tub down in the middle of the parlor, on the towels. They looked at each other, puzzled, but did as instructed. Molly arrived shortly after them, with the first of the hot water. When Callie had finished tearing up a sheet, Savannah sent her to her own linen closet for more towels. When Savannah was satisfied with everything, and the water had cooled enough, she was ready to approach Alison.

"You must be calm," she told Callie and Molly. "No matter what you see. No matter how it makes you feel. You must be calm and quiet. You must not cry. You must remain strong and help me—help her." Savannah took a deep breath that sounded more like a sob, she looked at her two friends and nodded to each of them. They each nodded back, and they quietly entered Alison's room, together.

Callie gasped when she saw the bleeding bite marks on Alison's back. Then she saw the bleeding from farther down, and she nearly vomited on the spot. Savannah grabbed her arm and Callie came back to herself and nodded that she was alright to continue.

"Alison?" Savannah's voice was gentle and soft. "Alison,it's Savannah dear, can you hear me?" She reached out and touched her on the shoulder.

It was then that they heard her sobbing into the pillow under her head.

"Alison, you need to come with me." Savannah tried to nudge her around to look at her.

"Please, the doctor said," Alison whimpered. "Please. Don't hurt her," fresh tears rolled from her closed eyes. "Please, don't hurt my Mary Alice, please."

The silence, in the room, allowed Alison's whispered pleas to sound like screams, in the ears of those gathered. Callie caught her breath, when the meaning behind Alison's pleas became clear, but she stayed on task, and helped Savannah guide Alison out of the bed. With gentle encouragement, and careful maneuvering, Alison was cautiously moved to the tub of warm water. Molly held Mary Alice, but Alison would begin to scream whenever Molly tried to move too far from her.

After carefully bathing her, Savannah and Callie moved her into Callie's room, and bandaged her many wounds. Mary Alice's cradle was moved into the room, and placed on the floor next to the bed. Alison soon fell asleep, leaning over the bed, watching her daughter and gently rocking the cradle. While she slept, Savannah and Callie changed the bedding on Alison's bed, while Molly took care of the towels and had the tub emptied and removed. It was well after dark before both rooms had been straightened, and cleaned of all the blood from Alison's many injuries.

"She may wake during the night," Callie looked at Savannah, deeply concerned.

"In all likelihood, yes." Savannah told her.

"What if I am with Mary Alice?"

Savannah thought about it for a few minutes, then, right on cue, Mary Alice began to cry. Callie ran to her, in hopes that Alison would sleep through it. But that was not the case. As soon as Callie picked up the crying baby, Alison woke up screaming. Savannah comforted Alison, while Callie sat on the bed, next to Alison, and fed Mary Alice. The two women looked at each other, in defeat. When Mary Alice was full, Callie replaced her in the cradle. Alison resumed her position over the cradle, and fell back to sleep.

"Callie, would you mind sleeping in Molly's room, just for a couple of nights?" Savannah asked her. Callie nodded agreement. "I'll stay in Alison's room, for now. Although, I doubt she will ever sleep in that room again." Several minutes later, Molly returned from setting the towels and bedding to soak. "Molly, would you mind sleeping in my suite for a few nights?" Savannah asked her.

"Take any room you like." Savannah offered. "Just please, bring me my sleeping gown, robe and clothing for tomorrow, before you settle in for the night."

"Yes, Miss Savannah." Molly collected her things from her room, and left for Savannah's suite. She was back in a few minutes, with everything Savannah would need to spend the night in Alison's room. "Alright then," Savannah sighed. "Let's all get some sleep, while we can."

They dispersed and went to the rooms they had been assigned for the night. Savannah prepared herself to sleep, but doubted that she ever would. Not this night. She wondered if the others would. She hoped that Alison would.

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><p>I hope there aren't too many typos and errors. My husband usually beta's for me, but this is not a chapter he would be able to read. He has a gentle heart, and the contents of this chapter would be too difficult for him to read. One of the many reasons why I love him.<p>

Anyway,

**Please review. I want to know what you think.**

Especially this chapter. It was difficult to write, so please tell me what you really think about it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her ****Twilight Saga**** series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

**Time and Recovery**

The night passed. Morning came and went. Alison slept through it all. Nightmares woke her, screaming, whenever Mary Alice woke up, but she would fall back to sleep when her child was placed back into the cradle. Callie did as Vernon ordered, leaving her with very little milk for Alison's baby. Savannah gave Molly some few coins and sent her to the shop that Savannah remembered as having nipples and rings, for the bottles. She spent part of her morning making pablum and formula for Mary Alice. With all the preparations for keeping Mary Alice fed, Alison was, still, never left alone. One of them watched over her at all times.

By the time dinner rolled around, Alison was finally awake. She sat up in the bed and held Mary Alice to her chest. Savannah had to be in the dining room, for dinner, but Callie was allowed to stay, so Alison would still have someone to watch over her. Savannah took her place at the table ,as Vernon and Rita entered the room.

"And where is my wife?" Vernon asked mildly.

"She's feeling a bit under the weather," Savannah told her son, as she studied her place setting.

"I thought I made it clear, that you both were required to attend dinner." Vernon escorted Rita to her seat, then took his own. "You will go and get her. I'll have dinner held until you both return."

Savannah rose silently and left the room. When she reached Alison's suite, she was close to tears.

"What is it?" Callie asked, when she saw Savannah's tear filled eyes.

"Vernon has ordered Alison to the dinning room."

"She can't...How could he?" Callie nearly cried.

"I can do it," Alison whispered from the doorway of Callie's room. Her voice was more of a frog's croak, than the beautiful, musical, sound that Savannah and Callie were accustom to. "Please help me dress."

"But Ali, your wounds, they need to be re-bandaged," Savannah told her. "You need rest. We'll find a way to get something to you."

"No. I go as I am, and I go now. Please choose an old dress for me."

Alison walked gingerly to her room, with Callie's aide, while Savannah chose a dress for her. When she entered the room, and saw her bed, she stopped. Memories of the previous night caused her to gasp, as she stood frozen with fear.

"We can take this to another room." Savannah offered, but Alison stood her ground.

"No. I'll not let him rule every aspect of my life. Not anymore." Alison ground her teeth together and stared, wide-eyed, at Savannah. "Let my wounds bleed through. Let his mistress see what he has done to me. Let her see what may happen, when he tires of her."

Savannah could only nod, and help her daughter-in-law change into the old dress she had found. She had always been proud of the way Alison carried herself, and the quiet strength she had seen in her when Mary Alice was born. But she was surprised to discover that she was beginning to feel an even stronger sense of pride in Alison. She had never seen such strength before. She was sure that if Mary Alice had even an ounce of her mother's strength, then she need never worry for the child's character and sense of self. When she was ready, Savannah and Callie helped Alison to walk down the stairs, and into the dining room. The stairs were the most difficult for her. She groaned in pain as she stepped down each and every step, but she refused to stop. By the time she had reached the bottom step, blood had seeped through her dress at her breast, and across her back and shoulders.

Rita looked up, and smiled at the trio, as they entered the room. Her smile quickly faded, as she saw the blood that had seeped through at Alison's breast. She watched as Alison side-stepped past Vernon, turning her head away, but watching him through the side of her eyes. She noticed the blood circles across her back and shoulders, as she turned to sit in the chair next to her, rather than the chair next to Vernon. When everyone was seated, including Callie, Rita plastered a smile back on her face, and watched everyone, her eyes darting from face to face.

"Much better," Vernon announced, as he called for dinner to be served. "Not the appropriate seating, but I will allow it—for now." Then he turned to the soup he had been served.

Rita missed nothing. Not even Alison's small jump every time Vernon said a word. She saw how she leaned away from him, even though Savannah sat between them. And she noticed how she sat so gingerly on the hardwood chairs. When Alison had finished dinner, and was returning to her rooms, Rita noticed the smear of blood on the chair. A realization was slowly creeping into Rita's mind, and she was terrified by it. This one dinner was such an eye opener for her, that she needed more time to process what she was seeing. A part of her wanted to believe that Alison was getting what she deserved, for trying to take Vernon from her. But a growing part of her was beginning to see that perhaps this was the true Vernon. She continued to smile throughout dinner. It wasn't until the trio had left, that she realized that her smile had become the exact same smile she had been seeing plastered across their faces. That is when real fear began to seep into her life.

Savannah noticed Rita's reaction to Alison, and how her attitude seemed to change as the dinner continued. She was too involved with assisting Alison, to be too worried about Rita and her reaction to the reality that was her lover. When the dinner was done, and the sweet dessert was served, Callie and Savannah helped Alison to rise, and return to her rooms. Going up the stairs was much harder for everyone. Alison was exhausted and had to be nearly carried up the stairs. When they reached their destination, they helped Alison undress, then changed her bandages, and placed a night dress over her head.

"I did it," Alison croaked, as she was tucked into her own bed. "And I'll not let him chase me from my room, or my daughter, or my friends," she reached up to Savannah and Callie, as she whispered.

"You did very well," Savannah told her. "Now it's time for you to rest." Savannah pulled the bedding over her and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "Sleep, my daughter." She whispered against her forehead before leaving the room, and leaving the door partially open.

Savannah leaned against the wall just outside the door to Alison's room, emotionally drained and near tears. Callie grabbed her, for support, and the two ended up in a tearful hug. They broke apart as Mary Alice began to cry. Callie went to pick her up, as Molly knocked on the door.

"I'm sorry, Miss Callie," Molly began, "but Miss Rita requested that you come see to her baby." Molly then pulled a warmed baby bottle from behind her back.

Callie gave out a deep sigh, while Savannah pushed herself off the wall, to take the bottle from Molly, and went to Mary Alice.

"It looks like I'll get to spend a little quiet time with my granddaughter." Savannah smiled through her exhaustion.

Once the house's babies were fed and put down for the night, Callie and Savannah collapsed into their own beds. Molly got to her room after everyone else was asleep. Before she settled into her bed, she quietly slipped into Alison's room and watched her for a short while.

"May my Gods, and your's, watch over you and your babe," she whispered as she looked to the ceiling of the room. As her eyes returned to Alison's sleeping form, Molly noticed the moon out of the window next to the bed. It was in the first quarter. Molly smiled to herself. "May the Gods heal you and give you, and your's, the gift of a stronger power." Then she returned to her room and slipped into her own bed.

In the morning, Alison was feeling better. She was less stiff and most of her wounds had stopped bleeding. Molly had already reported for her morning duties, and Callie was feeding Mary Alice a thinned pablum breakfast, from a bottle.

"Miss Savannah suggested we start her on a thicker formula." Callie told Alison. "She said that it would help her to sleep through the night, so you could get a more restful sleep."

"How does she like it." Alison inquired.

"Very much. She's really taken to all the changes extremely well." Callie smiled down at Mary Alice. "She really is a very good baby." She looked back up, at Alison.

Alison was still walking carefully, as she took a freshly laundered towel from the closet, and laid it on the seat of the cushioned chair, before she sat in it.

"Ohh," she sighed deeply. "I still feel very weak, but all-in-all, much better. And yes, Mary Alice is a very good baby. But have you noticed how she seems to scream and cry the loudest, just before something happens?" Alison leaned her head back into the chair, and waited for Callie's response.

"Babies can be more sensitive to changes in the world around us. Maybe she can hear more than we think she can." Callie rationalized.

"Maybe." Alison said, but she was thinking of her grandmother. "Oh well," she sighed. "I just hope she won't remember some of the things she has seen in the last few days."

"Miss Alison?" Callie started, "Miss Rita asked about you last night, when I went to feed her son, and again this morning." Callie looked over at her, while Alison looked at her hands in her lap. "I didn't tell her anything. I wouldn't—not without talking to you first. But should she ask again, is there any message you would like for me to pass on to her?"

Alison closed her eyes, took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, before responding to her.

"You can tell her, I will heal, but she should consider me should she lose favor with the father of her son."

"I will tell her." Callie said, as she finished with Mary Alice. "Would you like to hold her, till she falls asleep?"

"Very much." Alison smiled as Callie placed Mary Alice into her arms, with her head away from the wounded breast.

Alison held her until Savannah arrived to change her bandages, and help her dress. When she was ready, they all went down for breakfast. Rita was still watchful, and, again, tried to engage Savannah and Alison in conversation. Alison was not yet ready to talk in front of Vernon and Savannah had no desire to talk to either one of them. So, breakfast ended up being a quiet meal, again.

The days continued in the same routine. Alison never asked to go for a walk again, but Savannah and Callie took Mary Alice, often, to the seashore and a nearby park. The days passed, and quickly turned into months. It wasn't long before Alison was sure she was pregnant, again. She began to feel weaker by the day, and other symptoms, that she recognized from her pregnancy with Mary Alice, began to manifest themselves. By the time her third month had passed; since Vernon's violent visit to her rooms, and she had finally stopped bleeding from it; she knew it was time to call in the doctor. Alison was unsure as to how to approach Vernon about it, so Savannah brought it up at dinner.

"Vernon?" Savannah began.

"Not calling me "son" tonight, Mother?" Vernon asked while chomping his teeth on a bite of meat.

"I believe that it is time to call in the doctor to examine Alison. We believe that she may be with child." Savannah maintained her smile, and worked to even sound slightly happy about the situation.

"Well!" Vernon's voice raised slightly at the news, but that was all that indicated that the information made any difference to him. "I suppose this means I'll not need to pay her another visit, like the last one," and he laughed, while Alison tried unsuccessfully not to cringe in her chair. "Yes, yes, send Molly for the doctor tomorrow." Vernon agreed. And dinner continued without further talk.

When Doctor Wilton arrived, the next day, he was shown to Alison's rooms. The sight of her nearly sent the quiet doctor into shock. Alison was pale and thin. She appeared to be fairly healthy, but he saw little things that indicated that she was not. Her hair was thin and dull. She had dark circles under her eyes. Her fingernails were thin and flimsy, and the color of the finger underneath the nail, had a tinge of blue to it. But the thing that bothered him the most was the way she cringed, when he put his hand on her shoulder.

"From everything you have told me, and with what I see from this exam, I would say that you should deliver sometime in June. Most likely the beginning of June."

"Thank you Doctor," Alison said.

"Now, as to other problems you are having, I wish to examine you completely, Mrs. Brandon." Doctor Wilton had stood straight up. His statement was not a request, but a demand. "I shall ask the elder Mrs. Brandon to join us," and he walked to the door to call Savannah into the room.

Savannah entered quietly and looked from Alison to the doctor quizzically.

"Is there a problem?" She asked.

"That is yet to be determined." The doctor looked from Savannah to Alison, and back. "I have asked you to join us because I have asked Miss Alison to disrobe and allow me to examine her fully."

Savannah lowered her eyes to Alison and nodded, as she approached her and helped her to pull her dressing gown down off her shoulders and breast. Doctor Wilton inhaled through his teeth, as he saw the bite scars. He moved toward Alison and gently touched and eyed each bite. Then he moved a step back and allowed Savannah to help Alison to replace her gown.

"One scar on the breast, and five across the back and shoulders." He commented. Was there any other damage, other than what I have seem from the pregnancy exam and..." he seemed unable to finish.

Savannah looked at Alison, and she nodded.

"There was other bleeding," Savannah began, for Alison. "It was not from am attempt to impregnate her." Savannah did not know how to explain it to the doctor. "He..."

"Understood." The doctor let Savannah know that he understood her reluctance to explain more graphically. "But the bleeding has stopped?"

"Yes" Alison answered in a whisper.

"Is there continued discomfort?"

"No."

"Is everything functioning as it should?"

"Yes."

"Very well." Doctor Wilton began to gather his things, and place them back in his bag. When he was done, he gave a great sigh and stopped to look at both women. "You understand that, as much as I wish I could, there is nothing I can do to help you. Or to keep this from happening again. There are no laws to prevent a husband from violating his wife, in any manner he sees fit. At least not without humiliating the wife, and creating a scandal for the entire family. Even then, the most that is likely to happen is he may get a small fine and the church may ostracize him."

"We understand." Savannah said. Alison just hung her head.

"However, I shall make it clear to him," he could not bring himself to put a name to the man, "that any more behavior of this sort, would endanger the child. That should give you some freedom from him. At least for a while."

"Thank you Doctor Wilton," Alison said, as he turned to leave.

Savannah followed the doctor out and was showing him to the front door, when she spotted Vernon coming out of his library.

"Well Doctor, when is my son due," he smiled.

Good as his word, Doctor Wilton informed Vernon of the due date, and the dangers of violating Alison, in such a manner, while she is pregnant.

"I did advise you to wait for at least six weeks before having relations, did I not?"

"She seemed well healed." Vernon stated with a smirk.

"She may have seemed so, but she was not. Not internally. A woman needs time to regain lost energies. A growing child can take a lot out of a woman. It takes time to replace it. Miss Alison will grow weaker, as the pregnancy progresses. She will require close observation. I will make weekly visits, to check on her progress."

"As you wish." And Vernon turned and walked back to his library.

Savannah turned to the doctor and smiled at him. "Thank you, for everything."

"My pleasure, Miss Savannah," and he nodded to her, and left the house.

When Savannah returned to Alison she found her rocking Mary Alice and cooing to her happily.

"Callie has gone to see to Rita's boy." Alison informed Savannah.

"It must be close to dinner time," Savannah observed. "How the day has flown by."

"It has," Alison sighed. "The Doctor is concerned for me." She stated.

"Yes," Savannah said, as she sat on the cushioned chair.

"It is too soon for me to have another child." Again a statement.

"He is concerned that you did not have time to recover properly."

"I may die with the birth of this child." Alison was so completely calm as she said this, that Savannah was more alarmed than she should have been.

"Don't say things like that."

"It's the truth," Alison said. "I feel it. I'm so tired already." Alison sighed deeply. "We should prepare for dinner. Vernon will not allow us to miss his announcements for tomorrow." And she placed a sleeping Mary Alice in her cradle. "She'll need a crib soon. She's growing fast."

"Yes, she is," Savannah noticed how big her granddaughter was getting, and smiled. "I'll talk to Molly about digging out Vernon's old crib. He's already bought a new one for Rita's child."

Just then the dinner bell rang. Savannah and Alison linked arms and proceeded to the dining room, together. Arm in arm, they rounded the table, took their seats and waited for Rita and Vernon to appear. Savannah plastered her smile across her face, but her mind could not forget Alison's words, _"I may die with the birth of this child", _replayed in her thoughts all through dinner. She hardly heard a word Vernon had to say. She realized that she would have to get Alison to tell her later, after they returned to her rooms.

The night went by without incident. Molly was able to easily find the crib, and promised that it would be brought to Savannah's rooms in the morning, so they could begin its cleaning. Alison looked forward to the exercise, while doing something for Mary Alice. She slept without nightmares, that night, and was up bright and early the next morning to begin work on the crib, right after breakfast.

Vernon was not present for breakfast, so it became the most pleasant meal the trio had had, in a very long time. They chatted among themselves, and were even occasionally civil with Rita. They did find out from her, that Vernon was having some business failings. Since the death of his Father, several of his clients had moved on to other law firms. Vernon did not have the trust of his father's clients. They did not believe that he was the same caliber of lawyer, his father was. They had already seen that his idea of discretion was not the same as their's, and because of that, they could not trust him. Vernon had let go one of the clerks, and was in danger of losing another. The firm was losing money. And it was making him meaner.

The next week went by, also uneventful. The trio had learned not to say anything in front of Vernon. If they were silent and just smiled, he never felt provoked. Unfortunately, that left Rita to deal with his temper. Alison actually began to feel sorry for Rita. She had seen a few bruises on her, during the week, and she knew that it would only get worse for her. Doctor Wilton visited, as he said he would. Each time he ordered Alison to rest more. Also by his first visit, the crib had been thoroughly cleaned, and Mary Alice had been moved into it. Doctor Wilton checked on her as well, and proclaimed her fit and well grown. All things considered, life was fairly good for Alison, Mary Alice, Savannah, and Callie.

* * *

><p>I want to thank my two most consistent reviewers: <strong>Brenda<strong>, my sister-in-law, who sends me an email for every chapter, and **Jade SprattMaryJAlice**, who also never misses a chapter. Thank you so much. It really is nice to know that someone is reading and letting me know what they think.

I've started sending out previews with every review.

_**So please review, and get a glimpse of next chapter.**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her ****Twilight Saga**** series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

**Hellos and Good-byes**

Mary Alice began screaming just as the sun peaked over the horizon. Callie ran to pick her up to keep her from waking Alison, but it was already too late. As she pulled her from the crib, she heard Alison moaning from the bedroom. Callie quickly placed Mary Alice back into the crib, with a promise to see to her soon, and ran to Alison's room to check on her. She found Alison curled in a ball, her sheets wet, and moaning in pain. Callie ran into the hall, yelling for Molly to run for the doctor, as she rushed to Savannah's room at the same time.

Savannah, hearing Callie's call, jumped out of bed, grabbed her robe and threw it around her shoulders, as she ran for Alison's suite, with Callie, still running, right behind her. It was the beginning of May, too early for the child to be born. Savannah thought back to the night before. Alison had been complaining that her back had hurt ever since dinner. She had gone to bed early because of the pain. Savannah had heard of such pain as being called back-labor. A sign that the baby was soon to come. But it was too soon, and Savannah had dismissed it, thinking that Alison had simply overexerted herself.

When she reached Alison's room, she was shocked to see her curled around her extended belly, moaning, and unconscious. As she worked to straighten her out, Alison regained consciousness. Then she began to scream. With Callie's help, Savannah replaced the wet bedding with dry, clean pads, in preparation for the birth of Alison's second child. Savannah stayed by Alison's side, while Callie tried to comfort Mary Alice, as she wailed uncontrollably. When Molly returned, she had a warmed bottle, and the doctor was right behind her.

"Miss Rita is calling for you," Molly told Callie.

Callie looked at the closed door to Alison's room, then to Mary Alice, then to Molly.

"I'll let you know, as soon as anything happens," Molly assured Callie. "Please, the Mister is in a bad humor."

Callie placed Mary Alice into Molly's waiting arms and rushed out of the room. Molly made every attempt to satiate Mary Alice, but the child refused to be consoled. She changed her diaper, and tried to give her the bottle, but it was no use. Some few minutes after Callie had left, Mary Alice began to scream with new vigor. Not two minutes later, Vernon stormed through the door of the parlor. He pushed it with such force, that it slammed into the wall and bounced back into his hand. Molly saw the smile on his face, and a shiver ran up her spine.

"Take that screaming brat into your room." Vernon ordered Molly.

She rose and scurried around him, grabbing a small stack of diapers as she went, and took Mary Alice to her room and closed the door. By the time Callie had returned to the suite, Vernon was pacing the floor, exuding anger and impatience with every step. He glared at her, as she entered the room.

"My boy seems to be anxious to meet me," he said in her general direction.

"We have no way of telling whether it will be a boy or a girl." Callie lifted her chin, in defiance of his assurance that he would soon have a legitimate heir.

"It _will_ be a son." he hissed through clenched teeth.

Callie took a step back, in fear of his wrath. It was then she heard the screams of Mary Alice, and the pleas from Molly for the child to calm. Callie excused herself with a nod, and stepped into Molly's room without knocking. She quickly moved to Molly's side and watched as Mary Alice continued to wail. As her screams weakened, Molly was finally able to coax her into taking the bottle.

"I've got her." Molly told Callie. "You should go to Miss Alison. Miss Savannah may need you." Callie nodded and left Mary Alice to Molly's care.

Callie slipped out of Molly's room and quickly entered Alison's. She gasped at the sight before her. Alison had been restrained in her bed. Her arms were over her head and tied to the headboard, and her legs spread apart and tied to the foot of the bed. She writhed and screamed, as the doctor tried to examine her. Savannah was at her head, trying to calm her, and keep her conscious.

"Callie," Savannah called to her, "run and get a bowl of cool water and a cloth to wipe Ali's forehead with."

Callie nodded, and ran from the room. She grabbed a decorative bowl off of a small table near the hallway door, and ran down the hall to the bath room. She filled the bowl half way full, and carefully returned to Savannah. Grabbing a washcloth from the suite's linen closet, she continued to Alison's room. She set the bowl on the small nightstand, and watched as Savannah wiped away the sweat from Alison's face and neck.

"The baby is breach." Savannah told Callie, quietly. "The doctor has tried to turn it, but it refuses to be turned." Savannah drew in a deep, shuddering breath. "Doctor Wilton is going to have to reach in and grab the baby's legs and pull it out." Tears began to flow from Savannah's eyes.

"Are we ready?" Doctor Wilton asked both Callie and Savannah.

"Callie?" Savannah looked to her. "You must hold her leg in place. She must not clamp her knees together, or she may hurt the child and the doctor."

Callie nodded, and leaned over Alison's leg, to hold it in place. Doctor Wilton leaned over her other leg, and began to reach into Alison. The focus and concentration that the doctor was using, caused sweat to breakout on his forehead and face. His arm turned, and extended farther into Alison, as she screamed with every slight movement of his hand.

"Got it!" the doctor said, and began to slowly withdraw his hand.

Callie saw the tiny feet of the child, as the doctor placed his free hand on Alison's extended belly. He felt for her contractions, and pulled hard on the child, every time she had one.

"It's a girl!" Doctor Wilton said, as soon as he was able to tell.

"Cynthia," Alison sighed, just before she screamed again, and Cynthia completed her journey into the world. "Cynthia Savannah Brandon." Alison announced weakly.

Doctor Wilton finished the delivery of Cynthia, and quickly handed her off to Callie.

"She's bleeding too much." He stated, and tried to wipe away the blood, to find out just where the excessive bleeding was coming from.

Savannah watched as the doctor worked frantically to find the source of the blood. She felt helpless, as Alison began to pale. She felt the coldness seep into Ali's hands and tried to talk to her.

"Please, Ali," she begged. "Stay with us."

"I told you," Alison's whisper was barely audible. "Take care of them."

#

Molly knew something had changed when Mary Alice suddenly became calm. She could hear the sound of the newborn child through the well constructed walls, but that was all she heard. She watched Mary Alice, as her eyes moved to the wall that separated her room from Alison's, then lifted to the ceiling. She saw the smile on the child's face, and heard her as she laughed at the ceiling, and she knew that Alison was dead. Molly held Mary Alice close and was finally able to feed her. Tears flowed from her eyes, as she snuggled with the small child.

"Too young," she whispered to her. "Much too young to see such things. Too young to know." Molly's brow furrowed as she watched Mary Alice, and she worried. "Your father will not understand. Your grandmother loves you, but she will not understand. You must learn to hide what you know." Molly rocked Mary Alice, as she drank from her bottle. "They must not know!" Molly's whisper was a desperate plea that she knew Mary Alice could not possibly understand. Fear creped up her spine, as she held tight to the tiny eight month old.

#

Doctor Wilton pronounced Alison's death, just 15-minutes after the birth of her second child. Tears flowed from Callie's eyes, as she cleaned up the newborn. The doctor gave her a quick examination and pronounced her healthy and whole, then he gathered his equipment, and assisted Savannah in cleaning up Alison's body.

There was silence in the room, which made the sound both startling, and thunderous, when Vernon began beating on the door.

"I will see my son now!" He yelled through the door, just before it too, slammed open.

Callie swung around in fear, clutching Cynthia to her chest, and backing toward the wall away from the door.

"The child is female." Doctor Wilton announced sternly. He turned to face Vernon. "You have a fine healthy daughter. But, I have to tell you..."

"I don't care what you have to tell me." Vernon spat out, in the doctor's face. "If it's not a son, I don't want it. I'll give her a while to recover, then we shall try again." The smile on his face was more of a malicious grin.

"There will be no next time." The doctor informed him. "Your wife has died."

Vernon was silent for a moment, then began to laugh, loudly. "Well, that certainly solves my problem." He left the suite laughing, and yelling for Rita.

"Will he see to her burial?" The doctor asked Savannah.

"I don't know." Savannah answered, shaking her head slowly, as tears flowed freely down her face. "And I don't have enough available funds to see to it myself."

"I have been saving much of my pay, Miss Savannah." Callie offered. "It's not very much, but maybe we can convince some funeral parlor to accept payments."

"I have some of my pay hidden away, as well." Molly had entered the room silently, after she had heard Vernon leave.

"I will talk to a patient of mine. He knew the late Mister Brandon. He may allow the payments." He looked at the three women, as they morned the loss of one they loved so very deeply. "I will see what can be done, and let you know later this day." He nodded to each of the women, and left.

Savannah completed preparing Alison's body, then took Mary Alice from Molly, so she could take the soiled bedding to the laundry. She placed Mary Alice into her crib, then went to her room to retrieve the cradle from where it had been stored. Callie sat in the rocking chair, and rocked the newborn, Cynthia.

"Your mother loved you very much." She whispered to the sleeping child. "Don't you worry, little one. You will always be loved." And as she rocked, tears fell to the blanket that wrapped around the premature infant.

Callie placed Cynthia into the cradle, then stood straight, as she looked to Savannah for answers as to what to do next. Without a word between them, they began to clean. Tears continued to flow, as they worked to clean both Alison's room and the parlor. Within two hours, they had the rooms spotless, and ready for the removal of Alison's body. Breakfast had been started late, due to Alison's delivery, and death. Molly arrived in the rooms shortly after the women had completed their cleaning.

"The Mister requires that you both be present for breakfast." Molly informed them.

Callie and Savannah both gave out a deep sigh, as they rose from their chairs and followed Molly to the lower floor. They took their seats quietly, not looking at either Vernon or Rita, who were already eating.

"Well!" Vernon said around a mouth full of food. "Get a plate and get something to eat." He ordered.

Silently Savannah and Callie chose their breakfast from the buffet table, then took their seats again. They both began to pick at their food. Savannah took the first bite, nodding to Callie to eat as well.

"We'll need to keep our strength up." Savannah whispered to Callie.

"Yes you do." Vernon started. "Well, new developments require many changes." His smile was huge, and terrified Savannah, but she maintained her society smile, and prepared for Vernon's announcements. "Mother, you do not require such a large suite, just for yourself. Once the body has been removed, I think you should move into that room. It has plenty of closet space for your things. What doesn't fit, you can put out for the charity boxes. Molly will move back to her old quarters, and that will leave room for those children. Rita and I will be married as soon as possible, and Virgil will be announced as my son and heir." Very pleased with himself, Vernon smiled while he ate. After a short while, he began to quietly laugh to himself.

Savannah watched Rita, as Vernon amused himself with his food. She saw how terrified Rita was. She thought her eyes were those of a trapped animal, a reflection of how trapped the young woman felt. As much as her heart wanted to go out to her, Savannah just could not bring herself to feel sorry for Rita. She had chosen Vernon, back when he was engaged to Alison. She chose to disrupt their marriage. She had freely chosen to encourage Vernon to be cruel to his wife. Now, she was paying the price for her decisions. So, as much as Savannah thought she should feel sympathy for the young woman, all she could do was pity her.

Savannah and Callie finished their meals, and returned to their suite. Just before a small lunch was brought to their rooms, Doctor Wilton returned with news from the funeral parlor.

"A Mister O'Keefe will be arriving soon." He informed the women. "He and his family will see to the preparations for the service. He will speak to you about the financial arrangements, and his men will remove Alison to his parlor." He sat quietly, as they waited for the men to arrive.

"Doctor Wilton," Savannah spoke softly, "please join us. We are having sandwiches and tea."

The doctor nodded, and they waited the rest of the time in silence. Within two hours, Alison's body had been gently removed, and Mr. O'Keefe had agreed to take the funds the women had, along with a modest donation from the doctor, as payment in full. A wake was scheduled for the next day, with a small notice appearing in the local paper later that afternoon. The entombment was scheduled for the following day. Alison would be entombed in her family's mausoleum. That service would be private.

"But how do we explain the absence of her husband?" Callie asked after Mr. O'Keefe had left.

"We don't." Savannah raised her head high. "We simply do not answer, or you may direct all questions of that nature to me. The children will, of course, be in attendance for both events." Savannah ordered. "I will not leave them here, to his-scrutiny." They all agreed to this. "Molly shall have to attend as well. You will require her assistance with both of the girls."

Callie nodded her agreement, as they worked out the finer details of Alison's funeral. When everything was settled, Doctor Wilton agreed to send a carriage for the ladies, and the children, in the morning after breakfast. As time approached for the final meal of the day, Savannah said good-bye to the doctor at the door to the parlor. When Callie was called to see to Rita's son, Savannah relaxed into the rocking chair.

She looked down at the cradle containing Cynthia, then across the room at Mary Alice in her crib, and she began to cry. This was the one, and only time, she would allow herself to grieve for Alison. The tears poured from her eyes, as she thought about the daughter she had loved, for less than two years. She grieved for her loss, and for the children's loss. But a part of her was also happy. Alison had escaped from Vernon. She was free from the pain he had inflicted upon her, and would have continued to inflict upon her. Her hatred for her son grew.

Anger replaced the tears, and Savannah raised herself up in the chair, as she thought about what she would be facing in the next two days. A simple plan began to form in her mind. There was money tucked away, that Vernon had no knowledge of. Money that would see her through, should she need it. But first she would have to ruin Vernon, and ruin him she would. She knew he was having problems with his business. It was nothing compared to the problems he would have, once she was done, and the funeral was the perfect place to begin.

"Do you hear me Alison?" She whispered, so as not to wake the slumbering infants. "I shall see him ruined. The women of this town shall hear of his betrayal to you. They need not hear specifics to know what kind of bastard he is, for he is no son of mine." A sinister smile covered her face, as she considered her plan. "The men, who think they run this town, shall see that it is the women who truly rule here."

A knock at the door, brought Savannah from her mental contrivances. She altered her facial expression, and pasted on a smile, as the door slowly opened.

"Miss Savannah?" Molly peeked her head in the door. She smiled when she saw Savannah sitting in the rocking chair. "The Mister calls you to dinner."

"I'll be right down, Molly." Savannah nodded to her. Molly nodded once and closed the door. She hurried down the hall, and took the back stairs to the kitchen, in an attempt to avoid Vernon as best she could.

Savannah stood and began her trip down the stairs to the dining room. The closer she got, the more her plan developed. By the time she took her seat, her strategy was almost fully fleshed out, and ready for her to implement. She watched as Vernon smiled as he ate. When she felt he was content and in the proper mood she asked from him, what she needed.

"Vernon, son." She smiled at him. "I have made arrangements for Alison's remains. There will be no cost to you, son. I have seen to everything. But I would require Molly's assistance. I ask that she be allowed to accompany us tomorrow and the next, to help us."

Who is this "us" you refer to." Vernon noticed his mother's smile, and feared to trust it.

"Callie and myself." Savannah looked to Rita to include her in the conversation. "I thought it might be possible for Rita to list the times she would require Callie's presence, and we would make sure that she was returned to the house for her duties." Savannah continued to smile sweetly at them both.

"I think that..." Rita started, but Vernon cut her off sharply.

"You're not here to think." He bellowed at her, as his fist hit the table. "As for you, mother. Those arrangements will be fine. Have Callie meet with Rita this evening, and organize a schedule for the next two days. But don't think that this is going to continue. She is being paid to perform duties in this house. I expect her to do them." He had been pointing his fork at Savannah while he talked, and waving it at her, as if it were his royal scepter. "As for Molly, she may accompany you in your two day adventure." Then he chuckled to himself, as he looked down at his plate and continued with his meal.

Savannah lost her smile, but only for a moment, as the word "adventure" echoed in her head. The anger she had felt before, threatened to rise again, but she controlled herself and plastered the smile back on her face. She had Callie and Molly freed to accompany her. So far, she had been lucky to get what she needed from Vernon. After tomorrow, that may all change. And she still needed to talk to Mr. Connelly, to have an accounting done of her mother's accounts. Savannah smiled to herself, as she remembered how Orin had "allowed" her to keep the money from her mother's estate, separate from his money. He had been sure that it couldn't have been very much, and wanted the appearance that he was allowing Savannah to have her own money. Savannah actually began to chuckle as she entered the parlor. It was not a tremendous amount of money, but by leaving it in the bank, for the last 20-years, she was sure it was more than enough.

* * *

><p>Savannah relaxed back into the rocking chair, and watched her granddaughters sleep. Tomorrow would be a sad and busy day. She smiled, as her eyes began to slowly close, as she drifted off to a fitful sleep.<p>

I want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed so far.

If you like this story, please spread the word, and tell your friends.

**Please review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her ****Twilight Saga**** series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

**Vengeance is Mine**

Savannah was amazed at the extras that Mr. O'Keefe provided for Alison's wake. The parlor was beautifully decorated with flowers and candles. Savannah knew they were not all sent by mourners. There had not been enough time for so strong a response. She was grateful for the grace and consideration that the funeral parlor representatives afforded her and her family, considering the minimal amount of funds they were able to gather for their services.

"Is everything to your satisfaction?" Mr. O'Keefe, came from behind Savannah, to stand at her shoulder.

"It far exceeds my expectations," Savannah breathed to the gentleman owner of the house. Tears began to fill her eyes, as she fought to keep them in check.

"I can only hope that this brings a small piece of calm to your life." He held Savannah's hand, as he tried to show honest sympathy for her loss and obvious plight at home.

Savannah stood straight and looked the tall man in the eye. "You have gone beyond all my hopes, in assisting my family during this time. I am so grateful for everything you have done. I feel that there is no way in which I will ever be able to repay your kindness and charity."

"There is nothing to repay." He told her softly. "I can only hope that you will care well for her surviving children, and should the need arise, remember us to your friends." He began to lead Savannah around the parlor. "I would like to show you around, so you will be familiar with the house. My wife, Karen, asks that you and your family join us for a luncheon, later, before the mourners begin to arrive."

Mr. O'Keefe began to show Savannah around, and, at Savannah's prompting, showed her how Alison's body had been prepared, and dressed, for the wake. She was given as much time as she needed, when she was brought to Alison's body. Savannah fought to contain the tears that threatened to fall again, but was not quite as successful as she had been earlier. She grabbed the edge of the casket, as she peered down at Alison's body.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry that you were caught in the web set by Orin and his son. I think even he thought that Vernon felt something for you. We were all fooled." Savannah wiped away her tears, leaned into the casket, and kissed the cheek of Alison's corps. "I love you, my darling daughter, and I will do everything in my power to raise your children to be every bit as strong as you were." Savannah raised herself back from the casket, and turned to leave the viewing room.

Mr. O'Keefe was waiting just outside the door, and escorted Savannah back to the main hall, to rejoin Callie, Molly, and the girls.

"We would be very happy if you would join us for a small luncheon." He announced, then led the ladies to the large yard behind the building.

Mr. O'Keefe made introductions to his family, then Molly was invited to dine with the O'Keefe family servants. Savannah and Callie spend an hour enjoying the food, and company, of the O'Keefe family, before the girls woke up and began demanding attention. Molly soon appeared with warmed bottles for both of the girls. She and Savannah fed the hungry infants, as Callie prepared to return home to see to Rita's child.

"Thank you, Mrs. O'Keefe, for a lovely lunch." Callie rose to make her exit.

"Please call me Karen." She had asked them to, when they were introduced, but reiterated it for Callie's sake. "Mrs. O'Keefe is my mother-in-law," She said, with a smile.

Callie took the woman's hand and thanked her again, before she was shown to the carriage by Mr. O'Keefe.

"I'm sorry," Karen began, when Callie, and her husband, had left the yard. "I was under the impression that Mrs. Preston was hired as a wet-nurse for these precious little darlings?" She was surprised by Callie's departure just as the girls needed feeding.

"Originally, she was hired by my late husband, to nurse Mary Alice." Savannah smiled down at the growing baby she held. "But, upon his death, his son decided she would be more effective as a wet-nurse for his illegitimate son." Savannah smiled up at the shocked Karen O'Keefe.

"I see." Karen smiled at Savannah. "So, will the absent Mr. Brandon be attending today?" Karen was beginning to understand what Savannah may be trying to do, but she wasn't sure. Not quite yet anyway.

"It is highly doubtful. He and his mistress have been quite busy, planning their wedding." The smile on Savannah's face had turned into an evil grin.

"I see." Karen nodded again, and smiled in a conspiratorial fashion, as Savannah turned to give the woman a knowing glance. "He's a lawyer, is he not?"

"Yes." Savannah confirmed, as she raised Mary Alice to the cloth on her shoulder, and began to pat her back soundly. "It's such a shame about his business. Orin had built a growing, and lucrative law firm, with a fashionable and interesting clientèle. His son seems to have such difficulty keeping clients these days." Savannah raised an eyebrow at Karen, who smiled back at her.

"I'm sure that he will find a client list, somewhere, that will accommodate his—character, shall we say?" Karen turned to pour Savannah a fresh cup of tea.

"I'm sure you're right." Savannah told her, as she took a sip of the warm tea. "I'm sure the, women of Biloxi, will decide whether he has the type of character they would want, in the attorney their husbands choose to represent their families."

"I think we understand each other perfectly." Karen told Savannah, as her husband returned to the luncheon table.

"Mrs. Brandon," he bowed to her, and placed his hand for her to take. "I believe it's time for your guests to begin arriving."

Savannah handed Mary Alice to Molly, who placed the girls, side by side, in the baby carriage. Then, she took the offered hand, and rose to proceed to the parlor that contained Alison's casket. Molly followed close behind, pushing the carriage that contained both of Alison's girls. They were led to the front row of chairs, that had been placed in a small semi-circle around the casket. Molly maneuvered the carriage in front of her chair and gently bounced it on it's springs.

Cynthia was sleeping with her fist in her mouth, while Mary Alice was wide awake. She watched as people began to arrive and peek their heads over the carriage and smile down at her. She giggled at the few people she recognized, like Dr. Wilton, but, for the most part, she just listened to the words of condolence and support from the faces over her.

Callie returned from her duties at home, and picked up Mary Alice, making her very happy. She looked around in wonder, at all the brightly colored flowers, and spots of light from the candles. She watched as people came by, and held, or shook her hand. For most, she gave them a smile or a giggle. For a very small few others, she cried. Off and on, she heard her father's name mentioned. When she did, she frowned. She watched as her grandmother greeted the people, and how they hugged her and wished her well. She wanted to hug her grandmother, as well, but Callie held her, and that was just as good. When Mary Alice grew tired, Callie placed her back into the carriage, and Molly bounced her to sleep. Mary Alice was content with these three women, but she would miss her mother.

Savannah responded many questions, regarding Vernon's obvious absence from the wake. She gave the women similar answers to the ones she gave Karen. Karen also helped spread the word, to the women she talked to. By the end of the night, Savannah was sure that the word was spread sufficiently, to ruin Vernon. Only one person questioned Savannah's ability to support the children, should Vernon's business fail. Savannah was happy to inform them that she had money of her own, but could not access it until Vernon was out of the picture. She had to make sure that he did not take what she had. The conspiracy of the women was complete. As the wake began to end, Savannah talked quietly with Mr. Connelly.

"I have made an accounting of your personal funds." He told Savannah. "You are quite a wealthy person in your own right, Mrs. Brandon. I have taken steps to prevent Mr. Brandon from ever accessing any of your accounts. I understand that he can cause you great suffering, should he choose to, so no funds may be released, unless I approve it, as well as you. This can be overturned, but not without great expense on his part. Once Mr. Brandon has—moved on, I will be happy to release the co-hold I have, and assist you in any way I can." Matthew Connelly smiled down at Savannah.

"I can't thank you enough," Savannah took the offered arm of her family attorney, and escorted him out of the parlor. When she returned to Callie and Molly, she collapsed into a chair with a deep sigh.

"Mr. Connelly was the last," Savannah informed the others. "Time to pack up the children and get them home."

Savannah took Mary Alice, and approached the casket.

"Time to say good-bye, sweetheart." Savannah whispered to Mary Alice, as she looked down at her body.

Mary Alice looked up at the ceiling and cooed, as she opened and closed her hand repeatedly.

Callie approached the casket, with Cynthia. She held the infant in her arms, as she said a silent good-bye, for the both of them.

Molly waited until the other two had left, before approaching the casket.

"I know what you would want," she whispered very quietly, so the others would not hear her. "I know she has the gift. I will try to teach her, and protect her." Molly was leaning farther into the casket, as she spoke. When she finished, she turned and ran to follow the other two woman, who were just stepping into the waiting carriage.

They arrived home in time for dinner. Vernon was just escorting Rita to her seat, as they walked through the front door. Callie and Molly took the girls up to their room, while Savannah joined Vernon and Rita at the table.

"Would you care to freshen up, mother?" Vernon asked.

"I don't want you to feel you would need to hold dinner, on my account." Savannah had plastered on her smile.

"No need for you to worry about that today." Vernon smiled as her called for the first course of his dinner. "What ever you miss, will simply be your loss."

"I think I'll be just fine." Savannah looked down at her soup, and began to eat.

Dinner continued quietly. As the main course arrived at the table, Savannah heard Callie's footsteps cross over to the other wing of the house, on her way to see to Rita's child. After dinner, Savannah returned to her rooms, and checked on the girls. Cynthia was sleeping in her cradle, while Mary Alice was trying to climb the rails of her crib. Savannah laid a clean blanket on the floor of the parlor, then picked up the smiling child and placed her on the blanket. Mary Alice began to crawl after her grandmother. When Savannah collapsed into the rocking chair, Mary Alice grabbed onto her legs and began to climb up them. Before long, she was standing, and swaying gently, at her grandmother's knees. Savannah saw the silly grin on the face that popped up between the two tiny hands on her knees, and couldn't help but smile back.

"It won't be long before you take your first steps." She said to the happy baby at her knees. She grabbed Mary Alice under her arms and brought her to stand on her lap. Mary Alice bounced from foot to foot, as she giggled, and shook her hands in the air. The sound of her laughter caused Savannah to laugh quietly.

"The sound of an angel laughing." She commented quietly.

Savannah held Mary Alice, until the active child wore herself out. She, then, placed her back in her crib, and covered her with a light blanket. As Savannah relaxed back into the rocking chair, Callie returned to the rooms. Molly was not far behind her, carrying a tray with Callie's dinner. Molly placed Callie's tray on a table, then retired to her rooms in the servant sleeping quarters. Callie sat at the table and silently ate her dinner, not wanting to disturb Savannah. When she had finished, she placed the tray outside the hall door, to be picked up by the night maid.

After Callie changed and fed both girls, one more time, she suggested Savannah go to bed.

"I will take Cynthia's cradle into my room, so you can sleep undisturbed." Callie offered.

"No," Savannah breathed, as she rocked forward in the chair. "I'm fine, and I'm sure one of us will hear her when she wakes, if we just leave her here." Savannah rose from her seat and started toward her bedroom door. "Sleep well this night, Mrs. Preston. Tomorrow will be a day fraught with uncertainty, and, quite possibly, danger." Then she retired to her room, and gently closed the door.

Callie thought over Savannah's words, and considered the truth in them. She was tired. Doing triple duty, with Cynthia, Mary Alice, and Virgil, was wearing her out. As tired as she was, she refused to give up her duties with the girls. She had sworn an oath to herself, to help Savannah in any way she could. She would go with less sleep, and enlist Molly's aid as often as necessary, to help her keep that oath. When she finally did fall into her bed, she was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Savannah's words continued to haunt her dreams, though. She woke up several times during the night, startled by those dreams, and decided to go ahead and see to Cynthia, to keep her from waking Savannah.

By the time morning came, Callie felt just as exhausted, as when she had gone to bed. She showered and dressed quickly, then ran to see to Virgil. He was the earliest riser of the three children. On her way back to the girls, she stopped down in the kitchen to grab the two bottles that Molly was warming. As she entered the parlor, Mary Alice was just waking. She tickled the slim baby as she changed her diaper, then gave her a bottle of the thinned pablum. As Callie was finishing with her, Cynthia woke with a wail in the making. Callie was faster than she was, and had her out of the cradle, and in her arms, before the sound could wake Savannah.

The ladies were not due at the cemetery until later in the day-after lunch. Callie realized that Savannah may well miss breakfast, but she wanted to give her the chance to sleep in. Callie had begun to worry about the older woman. She thought that Savannah had looked like she was losing weight, and the circles under her eyes were becoming much too pronounced. She did everything she could, to keep the girls quiet and happy, to give Savannah as much sleep as possible, before the day's entombment. It worked well for Savannah. She woke late in the morning, feeling very much refreshed.

"I'm having second thoughts, about the girls coming today." She announced to Callie after she returned from her shower, and had dressed. "They have been through enough, and this part is private. Only family will be there. I am all that is required to be there." She looked at Callie, sympathetically. "Molly could watch the girls, and you could get some rest?"

Callie looked surprised and a bit disappointed. "I loved her too," she began, with a quiet voice, "I really wanted to go today."

"Alright," Savannah smiled at her. "I was really hoping you would say something like that. I didn't want to do this alone, but I was beginning to feel like I may have been forcing you..."

"You weren't!" Callie cut her off. "She was my friend, and I love her children like they are my own." She gave Savannah a knowing smile, before she continued. "Besides, if the children don't go, then Vernon will never let Molly go. And you know how much that will hurt her. She loved Alison so very much."

Savannah gave out a loud sign. "Yes, you're right. I could never hurt Molly like that. For most of this past year, she has lived for Alison. And the way she loves Mary Alice-I've never seen her like that, and she's been with us since she was born."

Savannah sat with Callie, until it was time for her to go to Rita's child. Molly showed up shortly thereafter, with two warmed bottles. Molly changed both girls' diapers, then handed Cynthia to Savannah, along with a warm bottle. Mary Alice rolled around on a blanket on the floor, looking at her grandmother, and holding her bottle with her feet and hands. When she saw that both Molly and Savannah were both watching her, she began to giggle. Mary Alice thrived on the attention of these women. She loved having them watch her, and hold her, and play with her. She loved her sister, but she wanted them to remember that she had come first.

Once Cynthia was back in her cradle sound asleep, Molly took the empty bottles and left the parlor, to retrieve lunch for both Savannah and Callie. When Callie returned, she and Savannah ate their lunch quietly, then dressed themselves, then the girls, to lay Alison to rest. Molly joined the group, with the packed baby carriage, and followed them to the waiting carriage.

The entombment went as planned; quietly and without Vernon. Everyone said their final 'goodbyes' and mausoleum was resealed. Standing in the cemetery, Savannah found herself reluctant to return home. Molly stood by quietly, waiting, but Callie looked at Savannah questioningly.

"Oh, it's nothing." Savannah waved her hand and her head, with an odd smile on her face.

"Please." Callie asked.

"I was just wondering what will be awaiting us, on our return." she pulled her gloves off, one finger at a time, than put them back on. She repeated the process, over and over.

Callie placed her hand over Savannah's nervously working hands. "We will survive. No matter what the cost, we will survive him. And the girls will thrive. With your love and mine, they will grow and be happy." Callie worked to relieve Savannah of her fears, and at the same time, calmed her own.

"Time to return to the house." Savannah informed the group. They walked quietly out of the cemetery, and back into the carriage that would take them home.

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><p>Please remember to review. I love hearing your thoughts on this story.<p>

**So, please-PLEASE-review.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her ****Twilight Saga**** series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

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><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

**Failures and Successes**

Savannah's plan did not work quite the way she had hoped it would. The women of Biloxi did band together, and insist that their husbands pull their family business' from the untrustworthy Vernon Brandon, but the men of Biloxi found in him a kindred spirit. They flocked to him for help with their dealings with their mistresses, and other shady business affairs. Savannah had succeeded in obliterating his reputation, but he had been doing a very good job of that already. She had destroyed what was left of his family practice, but Vernon was a resilient snake, and he found a way to survive. There had only been a few days of discomfort, and ill tempered behavior, then it was back to business as usual.

It was several years before Savannah's vengeance was able to slip past Vernon's office doors, and find a way to ruin him completely. Eventually, she was able to befriend a low level secretary, and gain the information that she needed. By careful manipulation of the people that worked for Vernon, she was able to discover who some of his clients were, and just what their business dealings with him entailed. She found ways to inform on them, to their families, business partners, even competitors; and therefore, painting Vernon as an even more unsavory character. Even among cheaters and criminals, discretion is still a requirement. It took her over four long years to ruin him, but Savannah did finally succeed.

As his business began to fail, Vernon's behavior became erratic and antagonistic. Rita frequently sported bruises of varying sizes, and walked or held herself as if she were in great pain. Savannah did all she could to help Callie stay out of sight, as much as possible. She was no longer needed as a wet-nurse, but Savannah had made sure she was kept on as a governess for the children. Callie took all her meals in the parlor, with the girls, and only took them out when Vernon was at the office. Savannah also worked hard, to keep the girls safe from Vernon's wrath, but it was not easy for either her or Callie.

The hardest part of Callie's job, was keeping Mary Alice out of Vernon's line of sight. The girl had become a happy, and extremely active toddler. Chasing her down had become a full-time job. Molly, who also did everything she could to stay out of Vernon's line of fire, had been of tremendous help with Mary Alice. Usually, when Mary Alice escaped, she would take the back stairs down to the kitchen, looking for Molly. There, she would find treats of cake, pie, or sweets, and Molly would tickle her until she couldn't breathe, then carry her over her shoulder back up to their rooms. Cynthia was a much more sedate child. She seemed content to stay in the rooms and play, only to leave them, when going for an outing with Molly, Callie, or Savannah.

Molly had seen Mary Alice frequently stop, mid-play, for a matter of seconds, then return to her play as if nothing had happened. She had discovered Alison's secret, about her grandmother, and knew that Mary Alice had inherited the 'sight' from her. She also knew that Mary Alice was already, and had been, practically since her birth, seeing visions of some sort. Whenever she saw this happen, she would grab up Mary Alice, tickle her, and carry her down to the kitchen for a treat. Mary Alice quickly learned that a vision meant a treat from Molly, and was not something to be afraid of. As she grew, she began to search out Molly whenever she had a vision. Also, as she grew, they became more frequent in number.

Mary Alice learned to talk early. By the age of four, she was able to explain her visions, in detail, to Molly, who was the only one to believe her. Some of Mary Alice's visions seemed nonsensical; she would talk about houses being built, the boats in the big walls, and national forests. Things that made no sense to anyone. Others appeared to be no more than questions, asked at a time before an event; "What's a pwezadent?" she would ask, "Why is a teddy bear the pwezadent?" or "Where is Panama?" And some were clearly prophetic; "Poor Mrs. Terry," she declared in early October in 1904, and the following week telling Savannah that "Teddy" was going to be President. Molly was just glad that she was usually within earshot of Mary Alice, and was able to help cover for the sometimes confused, precocious child.

When Vernon's firm was in it's final death throes, in late 1905, it became a dangerous time for everyone in the house. Controlling Mary Alice had become almost impossible, as the visions became more violent. Savannah had begun to pay closer attention to her grandchild, and was becoming almost afraid of her. As Mary Alice's fifth Christmas approached, the tension in the house became almost unlivable. As difficult as the atmosphere was, Savannah was happy with the directions her manipulations had taken.

"It won't be long." Savannah smiled as Cynthia ran across the parlor floor to her. She grabbed up the laughing child, and held her up, over her head.

"Daddy's going to be angry." Mary Alice voiced from her corner of the room. She was trying to build a castle with the wooden blocks she had gathered around her.

"And just why do you think daddy is going to be angry?" Savannah studied the petite child.

Mary Alice looked up at Savannah with tears in her eyes. "Because the bad men want daddy to give them money...And Rita wants to buy me and Sissy Christmas dresses." Tears began to flow from her large dark brown eyes.

Savannah had sat into the rocking chair, while Mary Alice talked. She put Cynthia on the floor to run off and play with her dolls, as Mary Alice walked to her. She placed her head in her grandmother's lap, and let the tears fall. "I want a new dress." Mary Alice said through the tears. "But Daddy is going to be so angry." She looked up at Savannah, then. "He's going to hurt Rita." She whispered before she began to sob.

Savannah picked up Mary Alice, and held her until she stopped crying. She looked helplessly around the room, wondering what to make of her granddaughter. She was afraid to believe her. Yet, afraid not to. Too terrified of what people would say, her friends, neighbors. She held tight to Mary Alice, shushing her and telling her everything was going to be fine, but she didn't believe it herself. When Mary Alice had finally cried herself to sleep, Savannah took her to her room, and laid her in her bed, then placed Cynthia in the playpen with her dolls, and went in search of Callie. She found her in the kitchen, helping Molly gather lunch for her and Savannah.

"Molly, I'd like you to join us for lunch." Savannah told her. "Do you have other duties right now?"

"No, Miss Savannah." Molly added another plate to the trey, then carried it up to the parlor.

The three women sat around the small table and started to eat quietly. Molly and Callie watched Savannah, as worry and fear lined her face, waiting for her to explain to them what was causing her such concern. Savannah finally took a deep breath, and a sip of her tea, before she began.

"I don't know where to start," she confided. "It's Mary Alice," she said, as her eyes began to fill with tears. "There is something wrong with her." Callie leaned toward Savannah, and placed a hand on her arm, as she tried to ease her mind, and calm her tears. Molly looked at her lap, afraid to say anything.

"What do you mean?" Callie asked. "Is she ill?"

"No, it is nothing as simple as that...She knows things." Savannah started, drawing herself up in her chair. "Things a child her age should not know. Things no one knows...Not when she says them." She flopped her hands into her lap, and seemed to give up in frustration.

"She's just an intuitive child." Callie sounded like she was trying to convince herself, as well as Savannah. "We've always know that." Callie continued. "I think maybe she just listens well, and has a clever mind. She can put thing together better that other children her age. She's just a very intelligent child."

"You know it's more than that." Savannah looked at Callie, sure she knew exactly what she was talking about.

Callie pulled her hand away from Savannah, and sat back in her chair. "There is nothing wrong with her." She stated flatly, with her eyes closed.

"She told me that Vernon would be angry because some men wanted money from him, and that Rita wants to buy her and Cynthia Christmas dresses!" Savannah's voice was a loud, insistent whisper.

"We don't know that any of that is going to happen." Callie pleaded with Savannah. "Rita has said nothing to me about dresses, and I've seen her every day, when I go to tend to Virgil. It's just wishful thinking. As for men looking for Vernon for money? She could have overheard some conversation. The servants? Vernon himself? And we all know how angry he's been for the last few months." Callie took a deep breathe. "There is nothing wrong with Mary Alice!" She was nearly in tears as she finished.

"Molly." Savannah eyed the silent maid, wondering why she had not jumped to defend Mary Alice. "I thought Mary Alice was your favorite? Why are you so quiet?" She watched her for a moment longer, but Molly remained quiet, with her head down. "You know something. Molly, you must tell us."

"No." Molly said without looking up.

"Please!" Callie begged her friend. "Tell Savannah she's wrong."

"Tell me." Savannah whispered, afraid of the answer.

Molly raised her head, and looked Savannah in the eyes. "You will not like what I would say."

"Say it anyway," Savannah breathed, as she locked eyes with her.

"She has 'the sight'...like her great-grandmother had 'the sight'." Molly dropped her head back down, to look once again at her lap.

Savannah drew a deep hissing breath in between her locked teeth, while Callie seemed to fold in upon herself. "Then she is a witch." Savannah breathed quietly.

"No!" Callie yelled, standing up and knocking over her chair. "No, I will not believe this. She is a child." Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. "A beautiful, intelligent, talented little girl." She looked at Savannah, pleading with her. "Please." She whispered. When neither Savannah nor Molly turned to acknowledge her, she turned and ran to her room.

"How long have you known?" Savannah appeared not to notice Callie's abrupt departure.

"I guessed...when she was only months old. The way she would cry just before the Mister would come to the rooms." Molly continued to look at her lap, at her hands, as her fingers twisted together before she would pull them apart, only to do it all over again. "Then when Miss Alison died, she..." Molly cleared her throat and looked up at Savannah, who candidly stared back. "I believe the connection she shared with her mother allowed her to see her spirit, as she left." Molly's voice was barely above a whisper, as she finished.

"Thank you, Molly." Savannah dropped her eyes from Molly's. "You may take the trey, and return to the kitchen."

"Yes, Miss Savannah." Molly gathered up the lunch remnants quietly, and returned to the kitchen.

After Molly left, Savannah sat alone in the parlor, rocking, and thinking. The dilemma that Mary Alice presented was tearing Savannah apart. _She's a witch _echoed through her mind, while the thought of Vernon finding out about Mary Alice, terrified her just as much. If Vernon were to find out, Savannah was looking at the very real possibility that he would quite literally kill the child. She could very easily see him flying into a violent rage, and beating the tiny child to death. The Brandon's did not hold with the 'slave arts', as they called them. But this was her grandchild. The dearest and most precious of all her treasures. Tears flowed freely, as Savannah considered the problem, and all it's ramifications and solutions.

When Cynthia began to cry, Callie came from her room to see to the toddler. She watched Savannah, still rocking in the chair, the tears long since dried. She saw her unfocused eyes, the tracks her tears had followed, and the way that Savannah seemed not to know that Callie was even in the room. She walked quietly around Savannah, and retrieved several of Cynthia's favorite toys, and retreated with her to the girls' bedroom. When Mary Alice woke, Callie kept her busy in her room, so as not to disturb Savannah.

"I have to use the bathroom, Aunt Callie," Mary Alice informed her.

Callie gathered up Cynthia, and took Mary Alice's hand and walked both girls to the bathroom down the hall.

"Grandmother is angry with me." Mary Alice told Callie.

"What would make you say something like that?" Callie asked, as she sat the short child on the commode.

"I just know." Mary Alice sighed deeply.

Callie considered Mary Alice's words, as she waited for the small girl to finish. Mary Alice had always looked like a living doll, to Callie. She was so small and delicately made, Callie was always concerned that she would easily break. Now, she saw a strength in that tiny frame. A strength that rivaled her mother's. Callie smiled down at Mary Alice, as she helped her clean herself up, and leave the bathroom.

"Your Grandmother may be a little confused right now, sweetheart, but give her a little time to work things out. She'll make the right decision."

Callie smiled down at Mary Alice, as they made their way back to the parlor. When they arrived back in their rooms, Savannah was no longer in the rocking chair. Mary Alice pulled free from Callie, and charged into her and Cynthia's room. Callie followed close behind her. She watched as Mary Alice ran to Savannah and grabbed her around her legs.

"Please don't be angry with me, Grandmother." Mary Alice cried, her face turned up to look at Savannah. "I'll be good, I promise."

Savannah looked down at the tear filled eyes of her granddaughter, and her heart melted. She placed an arm around the tiny girl's back, and turned to Callie.

"He can never know." Savannah whispered to Callie, then she looked down at Mary Alice again. "I'm not angry, Sweetheart. I love you very much. And you are a very good girl." Savannah reached down and picked up Mary Alice. She kissed her forehead, and cheeks and eyes, before tickling the squirming toddler into fits of laughter.

Callie and Savannah sat the girls on the floor to play and run through the rooms. Callie took a seat near the table, and picked up her sewing. She was making a new dress for each of the girls for Christmas. Savannah relaxed into the rocking chair, as she watched the girls play quietly, Cynthia with her dolls, and Mary Alice with remnant material Callie had given her. The four of them, each quietly involved in their own activities, spent the afternoon happy and content in each other's company.

The light rapping at the door, not long before dinner, startled both Savannah and Callie.

"Yes?" Savannah called out, not recognizing the knock as Molly's, or any of the other staff.

"Miss Savannah?" Rita's head pushed through the slowly opening door. She entered quickly but stayed close to the door. "I wanted to discuss Christmas with you, if you have a moment?"

"Of course." Savannah rose, curious as to what Rita could possibly want from her. The two women left the room, to talk in the hall.

"I've thought about this a lot, lately. Vernon is going to have to learn to accept the girls. They are his daughters, and they deserve to have as wonderful a Christmas as Virgil does." Rita paused, to watch Savannah. When she got a small nod from the older woman, she continued. "I'd love to buy the girls new dresses, for Christmas. They should be under the tree in the downstairs parlor, with all the other gifts." Rita looked at Savannah, nervously.

Savannah thought about it for a few moments, remembering what Mary Alice had said, before she answered. "It's a lovely gesture—but I'm not sure it's the right one." Savannah told her. "Not right now." She added, when she saw how crestfallen Rita suddenly appeared. "But the idea of the girls being part of Christmas is a lovely thought. Perhaps we could just work on that, for now."

Rita's face brightened, as a huge smile graced her face. "I'd still like to give the girls something for Christmas." Rita looked thoughtful. "I'll think about it, for a while longer. There's still time." She turned and almost danced down the hall to the staircase. As she neared the first step, she turned back to look as Savannah. "I'll work on Vernon, about allowing the girls to come down and join us for Christmas morning."

Savannah returned to the parlor to find Mary Alice locked in place. Savannah ran to her, and pulled her into her arms, just as the child began screaming.

"Nononono!" Mary Alice leaned back in Savannah's arms, as her head rolled from side to side. "No Daddy, no!" she screamed. Savannah ran with Mary Alice, to the children's room, and laid her on her bed. She knelt beside the small bed and tried to hold Mary Alice in place, as she rocked from side to side, still screaming. "RITA!" She screamed. "DADDY, NO!" And then she stopped, leaving only the sounds of her sobs to fill the room.

Savannah scooped her up and held her to her breast, as she cried for the tormented child. "My sweet child." Savannah cooed to her. "My dear sweet child." She looked at Callie, who stood in the doorway, eyes wide, terrified for Mary Alice.

"Baby," Savannah held Mary Alice out, so she could see her face. "Mary Alice, please. What's wrong, Sweetheart?" Mary Alice continued to sob, as she clutched Savannah's dress in her tiny hands. "Please Honey. Tell grandmother what's wrong." She pleaded with her.

"D...dad...daddy's ggg...going to kkkill Rita." Mary Alice stammered.

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><p>Sorry this chapter is a couple days late. I'm still having a few medical issues. Also getting ready for my husbands surgery soon, so the next chapter might be a bit late as well.<p>

**I'm really sorry about that.**

**But please review, and let me know how angry that makes you.**

**At least then I'll know you're reading.**

_**Ain't reviews grand?**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, the property of the irrespective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her Twilight Saga series of books

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, **child ****abuse**, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

**Chapter 11**

**Revelations and Decisions **

Molly brought a treat up from the kitchens, for Mary Alice and Cynthia. The girls ate their tarts, while Molly, Callie, and Savannah discussed Mary Alice's latest vision. All three women were concerned, but for different reasons. Molly feared for Mary Alice. Now that her secret was known, she was afraid that she could no longer protect the petite child. Callie was concerned for Rita. She felt that neither of the other two women cared what happened to Vernon's current wife, and she wanted to warn her of Vernon's wrath. Savannah was terrified that Vernon would find out about Mary Alice, and do something drastic to the child, before she was able to send him into bankruptcy, and chase him from the house. They were deep in discussions when there came a quiet rap at the door.

"Miss Savannah?" Came a small, female, voice through the closed door.

"Yes Nell." Savannah answered.

"The Mister calls you to dinner." Nell called quietly. " And he asked about Molly."

"Thank you Nell. We'll be right down." Savannah nodded to Molly, who ran out the door and down to the kitchens, by way of the back stairs. "Keep a close eye on Mary Alice." Savannah warned Callie. "Don't let her out of your sight." Callie nodded as Savannah rose, straightened her dress, and proceeded to dinner.

"You are late, Mother." Vernon hissed at Savannah, as she took her seat at the table.

"My apologies, Son. A small problem with the girls. But it's all fine now. How was your day?" Savannah had begun asking Vernon about his day, as a way of judging his mood, and the condition of her manipulations.

"You don't care about my day." Vernon hissed at her. "You want to know if I still have a business." Vernon's face was turning a bright red. He stuffed another bite of food into his mouth, and leaned over his plate. "No one cares about my day." He mumbled to himself.

"I care." Rita spoke quietly.

"Shut up." Vernon hissed at her.

"Vernon, please," Rita tried to plead with her husband. "I want to hear about your day. I want to help you..."

"I. SAID. SHUT. UP." Vernon began to rise, as he spoke.

"VERNON." Savannah spoke sharply, trying to draw his attention away from Rita. "Please, can we.."

"No Mother, we can't." Vernon was on his feet, leaning toward Savannah.

As Savannah stood to face Vernon head on, she heard the screams of Mary Alice, as she crawled backwards down the staircase. The blood curdling screeches coming from the small child, drew everyone's attention to the doorway and the staircase just beyond. Savannah ran to the dinning room door, to head off Mary Alice before she could reach the room, and Vernon. As Mary Alice ran into the room, Savannah reached for her, but missed the tiny cannonball as she dodged and ran to her target. Savannah watched in horror, as Mary Alice attacked Vernon's leg. She clawed and bit at him, screaming with all her might.

"You leave my Grandmother alone." She yelled at him. "You leave Rita alone." She wailed through heartrending sobs. "I hope those bad men kill you. I hope they kill you tonight." As the tears flowed down her face, her nose began to run as heavily as the tears.

Wet, runny snot and tears transferred to Vernon's pants, his temper lost all semblance of control. Vernon reached down and swatted his daughter away, as if she were a fly. Mary Alice flew into the buffet table, hitting her back against the delicately carved wood. The impact knocked the wind from her lungs, but in a flash she was on her feet, and attacking Vernon again. No matter how hard Savannah tried to catch her, Mary Alice evaded her hands, and resumed her attack on her father.

"I hope Mr. Redding and Mr. Gill have you killed." She screamed, her miniature fists slamming uselessly into his legs, and knees.

Vernon reached down and grabbed Mary Alice by the arm. Shaking her loose from his leg, he grabbed her other arm and pressed her tiny body between his large hands. Vernon raised her to eye level, as Mary Alice screamed in pain.

"Where did you hear those names." He spat at her. Mary Alice went silent, her mouth open, as her eyes rolled back in her head.

"Let her go!" Savannah demanded of him, as she tried to reach for her granddaughter.

Vernon turned, with Mary Alice, away from Savannah, and rammed his shoulder into his mother's chest. He glared at Savannah, as she was knocked back several feet, and nearly lost her footing completely.

"I'm talking to my daughter." Vernon grinned at her. "So shut up, and sit down." Then he turned back to Mary Alice.

"Nononono." Mary Alice repeated as her head rolled from side to side, her neck appearing not to have the strength to hold it up any more. Her eyes rolled forward to see her father, and she screamed before blacking out in his hands.

Vernon shook her, trying to make her aware of him. Trying to force a response from her. When she refused to regain consciousness, he let her drop to the floor. Savannah ran to the crumpled body on the floor, and gathered her to her chest.

"The child is obviously insane." Vernon pronounced calmly. "She shall be committed in the morning. Gather her things, and have her ready before breakfast."

"No." Savannah pulled Mary Alice from the floor, and backed away from Vernon. "She's not insane. She's a frightened child."

Vernon turned to Savannah, his rage only slightly under control. "She is MY daughter. She has attacked her father. She has just exhibited some sort of fit." He stepped closer to Savannah as he talked, spitting the words at her, until Savannah's back was against the wall, and his face was mere inches from hers. "And she knows names that have NEVER been mentioned in this house." His voice was almost a whisper, before he backed up one step. "The child is insane, and shall be committed." Vernon smiled, as he turned away from Savannah. He returned to his chair, and his dinner.

Savannah carried the unconscious child out of the room, and up to their suite. She was still in shock, as she entered the parlor. Callie was in the children's room, just finishing changing Cynthia, when Savannah entered with Mary Alice. She laid the child on her bed, kneeling next to her on the floor. Savannah brushed Mary Alice's hair out of her face with her hand, curling it around the small head as she repeatedly ran her hand from Mary Alice's forehead to the back of her head. She cooed to her, as tears flowed down her face.

Callie looked from Savannah to Mary Alice and back, fear creating a knot in the pit of her stomach. "What happened?" She whispered.

The only sounds in the room were Savannah's ragged sobs, and Callie's fearful gasp, as she realized that she had turned her back on Mary Alice, to care for Cynthia. The knot in her stomach grew larger. Whatever had happened, was because she had not kept her eyes on Mary Alice, and she had escaped the rooms. Callie waited for Savannah to verify what she already knew. She couldn't stop the groan of pain, when Savannah finally spoke.

"He knows." Savannah choked on the words, as she began to sob.

Callie could only stand and watch, as Savannah cried over the silent body of the tiny, doll-like child. Cynthia's squirming finally brought Callie out of her immobility.

"What can we do?" Callie asked, as she started to panic. "There must be something we can do? Some place we can take her? Someone who can help?" She struggled to retain the contents of her stomach, which was threatening to empty itself, as her body continued to react to the rising fear she felt. A level of fear that rivaled the day her husband and son were killed.

Savannah shook her head, as she rested it on the edge of the bed.

"There is nothing to be done. If we were to seek help, she would be publicly branded a witch. Not only would her life be ruined, but Cynthia's as well. We have no choice. Vernon will have her committed in the morning." The sobs that wracked Savannah's body, prevented her from speaking another word.

"Grandmother?" Mary Alice's voice was weak and raspy, as she slowly regained consciousness. "Don't be sad, Grandmother." Mary Alice reached a hand to her Grandmother's face. "Please don't cry." She rolled over and hugged Savannah's head, and gave her a small kiss on the top of it. "See Grandmother?" Mary Alice smiled. "All better." Savannah gathered Mary Alice to her chest, again, and began to cry earnestly.

Molly had been disposing of household waste, at the burn pile far out in the back yard, when the confrontation had occurred. She was completely unprepared for the scene that greeted her, when she arrived with dinner for Callie and the girls. Callie was still standing near the door holding Cynthia, as the baby squirmed to be set free. Savannah on the floor, leaning over the small bed, gripping Mary Alice in her arms, and sobbing uncontrollably. And Mary Alice, stroking Savannah's hair, with her cheek resting on her head, trying to soothe her grandmother with her hands and her whispered words.

With trembling hands, Molly placed the tray on the table in the parlor, then went to Callie and pulled Cynthia from her arms. She placed the fidgety toddler in the playpen, then returned to Callie, in hopes of gaining understanding as to what had happened. The fear in Callie's eyes was enough to warn Molly that something was very wrong. As Molly watched the scene in front of her, understanding dawned on her. Her greatest fears had been realized. She knew that they would no longer be able to protect Mary Alice, and the pain of that knowledge brought her to her knees.

"Please," Molly whispered, "do not send her away." Even as she said it, Molly knew it was hopeless.

"There is nothing we can do." Callie told Molly. "I let her escape these rooms, and I can't take that back. It's my fault he knows." Silent tears flowed down Callie's face, as guilt settled into her heart. "Whatever happens to her, from this day forward, is my doing."

"No." Savannah's voice was muffled by the bedding, as she spoke before lifting her head from Mary Alice's grasp. She gave the concerned child a sad smile, then stood to face the others. "No, it's not your fault." Savannah tried to reassure Callie. "We tried to do the impossible." She gazed down at her loving grandchild, as Mary Alice sat up on the edge of the bed, and reached for her hand. "Mary Alice has a window to a world that is out of our view. She can no more ignore the warnings she receives, than you or I could ignore the cries of a child in pain. It will always be in her to fight the inevitability of the things she sees. She has her mother's strength and determination. She will need every bit of that strength, to survive what is most likely to come."

Savannah reached for Callie, and drew her into her arms, as Mary Alice released Savannah's hand to cling to her dress. "I do not hold you responsible for this, dear child." Savannah rubbed Callie's back, as the younger woman cried into her shoulder. "Mary Alice loves us as fiercely as we love her. Her desire to protect us is just as strong as ours to protect her. All we can do is keep watch on her as best we can. Try to visit her as often as possible, and to free her, as soon as Vernon is out of the way."

Callie raised her head from Savannah's shoulder, and looked down to see Molly kneeling on the floor next to her. Both she and Savannah reached down, and pulled Molly into a strong hug.

"We will keep watch." Molly promised.

Mary Alice held tight to the legs of the small group. She rested her head against Savannah's leg as she held to Callie and Molly. She closed her eyes and a tear squeezed out of the corner of one eye.

"I'm afraid of the dark," she whispered so softly, no one could possibly hear her.

#

When Vernon said that he would have Mary Alice committed before breakfast, Savannah did not realize the depth of his commitment to this end. If she had, she would not have fallen asleep in her own bed. If she had known, she would not have allowed Mary Alice to sleep in her own bed. If she had considered for one moment, the profoundness of his desire to rid himself of one tiny bundle of fists, feet and teeth, she would have latched on to Mary Alice with all her tenacity and strength. But she had thought that Vernon would have waited for her to wake. She thought that she would be allowed to accompany Mary Alice to the sanitarium, to see that she was properly, and safely situated in her new surroundings. She would have thought...but she didn't.

Before dawn, Vernon crept silently into the suite housing his mother and his daughters. He glided across the parlor, and pulled the quilt off the back of the rocking chair. He carried it to the room that contained the slumbering forms of Mary Alice and her sister, and skulked to the bed of his oldest daughter. Vernon wrapped the quilt around the sleeping child, and pulled her gently from the bed. He rolled her body close to his, as he slithered from the rooms, closing all the doors behind him, without a sound. A carriage was waiting for him, when he reached the front door. Vernon placed Mary Alice into the extended arms of the man in the carriage.

"She will be admitted under the name, Mary Alice Brandon-to start." The man's voice was a deep baritone, raspy and dry. "She will be transferred, as needed, for the first six months-to ensure her safety." Mary Alice disappeared into the dark carriage, and several papers and a fountain pen were extended toward Vernon. "Sign here." Vernon took the pen and signed where the man's long thin finger pointed on the papers. "This will explain the visiting procedures." He extended a single sheet of paper to Vernon. Vernon took the sheet, wadded it up in his hand, and stuffed it into his pocket. "Do you wish to be contacted concerning treatment plans?"

"No." Vernon was ready to be done with this man, and this business. "A trust has been drawn up, for payment for—services rendered." Vernon told the man. "It will be finalized as soon as the courts open this morning." He looked over his shoulder, checking for movement inside the house. "Do whatever treatments you feel are necessary to her condition. I have no desire to be informed of her prognosis or her progress." Vernon stepped back from the door of the carriage. "I believe that should conclude our business."

"As you wish, Mr. Brandon. But are you sure this is the way you want this situation handled? There may be other options open to you." The voice was sincere in it's attempt to convince Vernon to change his mind.

"No. This is the way I want this handled. Discretion Doctor. That is what you are known for. That is why you were called. That is what I expect from you." Vernon reached for the carriage door, and closed it against any further attempts to alter the arrangements he had made with this man, and his hospital.

Vernon turned his back on the carriage, and returned to his house. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, as the carriage pulled away from the Brandon house. It had not even entered the street, before Vernon had the front door closed behind him. A smile slowly spread across his face, as he leaned his back against the door. He began to chuckle as he reached the staircase, to return to his rooms to prepare for the day.

"One down," he hissed, as he climbed the stairs.

By the time Vernon had returned to his own parlor, he was laughing loudly. Rita woke from a restless sleep, roused by his laughter.

"What has jolted your funny bone?" Rita asked, surprised by Vernon's joviality.

Vernon just shook his head and continued to laugh, as he began to gather his clothing for the day.

"Vernon?" Rita sat up in the bed, and watched her husband as he appeared to dance around the room. "Vernon, please. I'd like to talk to you, about the girls. About Mary Alice."

Vernon stopped instantly. He turned to look at Rita, all signs of his unusual giddiness gone. Rita leaned back against the headboard of the bed, an unconscious attempt to move as far from him as possible.

"You can't have meant to send the child away. Not with Christmas so close." Rita started, her voice becoming softer, as she spoke. "I thought that maybe this year, the girls might join us on Christmas morning." She finished by flashing a timid smile at Vernon's increasingly angry face.

"NO!" he bellowed at her. "_They_ might not." He spat, as he approached her. "_They_ are no longer a _they_." He began to laugh at his turn of phrase. "_They_ are a _she_. And _she_ may NOT join us Christmas morning." Vernon turned his back on Rita, and continued to dress.

#

Savannah woke early. The sun was just over the horizon, as she reached for her robe. She chose her clothes, and proceeded to the bathroom, to prepare for the day. When she was dressed and ready to face Vernon, and his plan to commit Mary Alice, she returned to her suite to wake Callie and the girls. When Savannah walked into the parlor, Callie was dressing Cynthia in a warm jumper and heavy leggings. Callie turned to give Savannah a sad smile, and a sorrowful 'good morning'.

"Where's Mary Alice?" Callie asked, as she tried to look around Savannah's skirts .

"Isn't she still in bed?"

"I thought she had gone with you."

Both women turned to look around the room. Neither moved, but their eyes searched the entire suite, even through the open doors of the other rooms. They both listened carefully for any sound that might indicate where Mary Alice was playing. But they heard nothing but the happy, hungry sounds of Cynthia standing on the dressing table, in front of Callie. As they finished their search, their eyes rose to each other. Tears welled in both their eyes. Callie slowly shook her head, as Savannah mouthed a single 'No' as realization struck them both.

Savannah turned and ran down to the dinning room. Her breathing was labored as she stopped to pull herself together, before she ended up storming into the room, and ruining her chances of finding out where Vernon had sent Mary Alice. Vernon was seated in his usual seat, smiling and eating cheerfully. Rita looked up from her breakfast, and saw Savannah moving toward the room. She was a bit bewildered to see Savannah coming down for breakfast. She had expected her and Callie to stay upstairs with Mary Alice, until Vernon took the child to the sanitarium. She saw the look of determination and fear on Savannah's face, and wondered why. She watched as Savannah stepped into the room, and stop, staring hard at Vernon, and wondered what could possibly have happened.

"Vernon?" Savannah had to force her voice to sound calm.

"Yes, Mother?" Vernon smiled but didn't take his eyes off his food.

"Where is Mary Alice?" Her voice carried only a slight tremble.

"I told you I would have her committed before breakfast." He stuffed a forkful of food into his mouth.

Savannah took a deep breathe, to try to calm herself. "I understand that, Vernon. I'm only asking for the location, dear." Savannah felt as if she were going to vomit. Trying to be civil to Vernon was making her physically ill.

"That is not for you to worry about, dear Mother." Vernon began to chuckle.

"Please, Vernon. Please tell me the name of the hospital."

Vernon turned to face Savannah, a smug grin plaster across his face. "No, Mother. I will not. And if you persist in this line of questioning, I may have cause to question your sanity as well. After all, you did suffer a witch to live under my roof. Think of poor...what's the other one's name?"

"Cynthia." Savannah forced out between clenched teeth.

"Oh yes. Think of poor Cynthia. What kind of life would she have with not only her sister in a sanitarium, but her grandmother as well." Vernon turned back to his plate. "Now sit down and keep quiet. This is the first breakfast I've enjoyed in quite some time."

Savannah took her seat and began to push her food around on her plate. She thought about all the manipulations and strategies she had used to try to force Vernon into bankruptcy. All the years she had wasted, trying to kill his career and his business. None of it was enough. It wasn't coming fast enough. It wasn't coming close to doing the damage that she wanted—not wanted, needed to do to him. But Savannah had options. She had friends that even Vernon would be shocked to know about. She smiled to herself, as she looked down at her plate. Yes, she had options. And she was done playing with Vernon.

**Vernon is such a bastard. I'll bet he doesn't leave reviews.**

**Don't be a Vernon.**

**Please review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her Twilight Saga series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

**Descent**

The coach rocked along the roads, both stone and dirt. Mary Alice woke slowly, as the coach bounced along a particularly bad stretch of gravel road. She felt the movement of the coach. She caught the smell of tobacco burning, and she saw the silhouette of the man sitting beside her. She moved slowly, frightened by her surroundings, but not surprised.

"You can sit up if you like." The man told Mary Alice. "Then we can talk for a little while."

Mary Alice swung her legs out of the quilt, and off the bench seat of the coach. She pulled the warm quilt around her shoulders, against the chill of the early morning air.

"Will you tell me your name?" The man's voice was gentle and soft.

"Mary Alice Brandon." Her voice was small and tired.

"Very good," the man said. "My name is Dr. Hadley. It's very nice to meet you." He held his hand out for Mary Alice to take. Tentatively, she placed her tiny hand in his.

"It's nice to meet you, too."

"Your father tells me that you are having some difficulties?"

Mary Alice still could not see the man's face, and she didn't like that.

"My daddy wants to kill Rita." Mary Alice stated firmly. "My daddy is in trouble with some bad men." She started to become frightened, but she couldn't stop herself from telling this stranger what she knew. "My daddy hurt my mother, and she died because of it. My daddy wants to kill my grandmother." Her fright was quickly turning into panic. "My daddy is going to die. Two men are going to kill him." Her eyes began to roll back into her head. "My daddy wants you to kill me. My daddy hopes you drop me into a hole and I am never heard from again."

She began to shake, as the doctor grabbed a hold of her and stabbed her arm with a large syringe. Mary Alice screamed, as the tranquilizing drug was shot into her arm.

"It will only help you to relax, child." Mary Alice noticed how soft his voice was, as she fell into a darkness that terrified her.

"But I'm afraid of the dark," she whispered too softly for him to hear.

#

Mary Alice was in a white room when she woke up. She was on some sort of bed. It was only a thin lumpy mattress placed over a flat wood base with legs. There was a wooden straight-back chair, and a small two drawer chest. The sheets on the bed were washed but stained, and Mary Alice thought they smelled bad. She tried to sit up, but her head began to swim so she laid her head back down, onto the hard, lumpy bed. Laying on her side, she was able to look out the small window that was placed high on the wall, across from her bed. Through the bars on the window, she was able to see the blue sky. She watched the sky, and the clouds as they drifted by, and worried about her grandmother.

"Little girl, little girl, little girl?" Came a sing-song voice from the small window in her large metal door. Her head lifted enough to see the eyes of the man at the door. "We like little girls around here." He laughed as he said it.

Mary Alice's eyes rolled back in her head again, and she saw the man. She saw how he had killed his wife, with a large rock he had found in his yard. She saw how he had bathed in her blood, and laughed. And she screamed at the sight. She saw what he wanted to do to her, and she screamed louder. She heard the attendants running toward her room, and she screamed. She heard them shoo the laughing man away, and still she screamed. She felt their hands trying to hold her down, and she screamed and rocked. She saw one of the attendants sneak into one of the women's rooms, and do to her what her father had done to her mother, and she screamed and fought. Finally she felt the sharp jab of a needle, and slowly her screaming stopped. She stopped fighting, and rocking. All she could do was lay still and watch, as the tranquilizer took her, again, into the darkness.

#

It was dark when Mary Alice woke again. She raised her head slowly, and the room began to spin. She fought the feeling, and tried to look around the room. She thought she caught the scent of food from the other side of the room, and sniffed the air to try and locate it. Slowly and carefully she stood up, and reached toward the chair next to the two drawer chest. She found the tray of food, and knelt on the floor to use the seat of the chair as her table. She found a thick slice of bread, and a thin stew in a small bowl. She felt around the tray and found the soup spoon. Mary Alice's hands searched the tray again, looking for a napkin, but found none. As she picked up the spoon, and brought the first dram to her mouth, her stomach rolled with a growling vengeance. She pulled herself closer to the chair, until her chin was resting on the tray. She worked the spoon as quickly as she could, while trying to remember her manners. When she had gotten as much of the thin meal as she could, with the spoon, she tore off pieces of bread and used them to mop up whatever was left in the bowl, and whatever had spilled onto the tray.

When Mary Alice was finished eating, she looked around the small room for something to wash her face with. There was nothing in either of the two drawers, they were completely empty, nor was there anything on top of the chest. There was nothing on the back of the chair, or under the tray. In desperation, she pulled up the ruffle at the bottom of her night dress, and used it to wipe her mouth. When she was done, she looked around her dark cell for something to give her comfort. There was nothing. Finally, she climbed back onto the bed and looked for a blanket to cover herself with. There was none. Mary Alice curled herself into a ball, and began to quietly cry. Tears flowed from her eyes to the dirty sheet that covered the lumpy mattress. She cried for her grandmother, and for Callie and Molly. She even cried for Cynthia. She cried until her sheet was soaked as well as the mattress beneath it. She cried until she had cried herself to sleep. And in all that time that she had cried, she never made a sound.

It was daylight when Mary Alice woke. There were people outside her door talking about her. Mary Alice stayed curled in a ball, with her eyes closed, listening to them.

"She's just too young to be here." The woman said.

"It was the father's wish that she remain confined until such time as she shows enough improvement as to be able to exist in civilized society." Mary Alice recognized Dr. Hadley's voice.

"You know that's not true." The woman sounded angry. "She's an embarrassment to him. He'll never allow her to be released. Besides, we had to tranquilize her again yesterday."

"She ate during the night, and she was quiet. We'll see how things go today. Make sure there is staff with her at all times. Keep the others away from her. If there are any difficulties, call for me immediately." Then Mary Alice heard footsteps moving away from her door.

She heard the key in the lock, and the door opened slowly. Mary Alice opened her eyes as the middle aged nurse entered her room. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun, with her nurses cap pinned firmly in place. She smiled at Mary Alice as she stepped quietly toward her bed.

"Hello Mary Alice. I'm Nurse Carver." Mary Alice didn't believe her smile, but she sat up on the edge of the bed anyway. "I'll be taking care of you today. Would you like to come with me, and get some breakfast?"

She held her hand out for Mary Alice, but she refused to take it. Instead, she stood in front of the woman, and looked up at her. Her face was streaked with the tracks of last night's dried tears. Her night dress was rumpled and dirty. But Mary Alice stood straight and faced the nurse.

"May I use the bathroom, please." Her tiny voice croaked from an over dried throat.

"Of course, dear."

Mary Alice followed the tall nurse to the communal bathroom. She still refused to touch the woman, and had to turn sideways several times to avoid touching the other patients. Mary Alice knew that touching them would bring on a vision. And a vision usually brought on the uncontrollable fear. And that would bring on the screaming, and the injection would follow shortly after that. And that would send her into the darkness. Mary Alice tried to hurry, but the nurse became impatient and left Mary Alice, promising to return in a minute. Mary Alice finished and cleaned herself up, then stood waiting for the nurse.

A woman came into the bathroom. She was very thin, with stringy light brown hair. Her eyes were open wide, and frightened Mary Alice. She moved backwards as the woman approached her.

"Are you my Gina?" She croaked at Mary Alice. "My little Gina!" She held her hands out like claws, and her smile showed her black and rotted teeth.

Mary Alice walked backwards, until her back connected with the far wall from the doorway. As the patient reached for her, Mary Alice saw her fate. She watched as the wires were connected to the woman's shaved head, and she stiffened and arched off the table. Mary Alice screamed as she saw the woman's fear and pain, as the electric current passed through her body. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she collapsed into the floor, screaming and writhing from the vision. The woman tried to grab at her, but Mary Alice fought her hands away. But her screams had not gone unnoticed. Soon more patients wandered into the bathroom, lured by the sound of someone suffering; someone other than themselves.

As hand after hand touched Mary Alice, visions of pain and suffering filled her mind. She saw horrors that she never knew existed; not in the protected world of her family home. As she continued to scream and thrash at the hands trying to touch her, Nurse Carver struggled through the patients that had gathered around her. When she reached Mary Alice she grabbed a hold of her, pulled her to her chest, and carried her from the room. Mary Alice continued to scream and writhe, as the visions continued to flash persistently in her mind. Before long, she felt the sting of the needle and, once again, she began to sink into the darkness that usually terrified her, but this time it was a relief to escape the visions.

#

The room was darkening, but still light enough to see clearly. Mary Alice woke, but didn't move. She curled herself into a tight ball, and began to cry. The fear of this new place, the fact that she was so very hungry, and there was a strange man dressed in white, sitting across from her, were just too much for her child's mind to absorb. It was all happening too fast, and she was lonely.

"You can talk to me." The man's voice was harsh and deep. "I won't hurt you. I've been told that you have problems when people touch you. I won't touch you unless I have to. But we can talk."

Mary Alice opened one eye, to peek at the man. His voice seemed nice, for a man. Slowly her crying stopped, and the sobs lessened. She watched the man the whole time. She saw how he watched her. She studied his smile, and the way he moved in the uncomfortable chair. As her sobs stilled to silence, she felt brave enough to ask him some questions.

"Can I please see my Grandmother?" Her throat was so very dry, her voice sounded more like a frog croaking.

The man reached over to the chest of drawers and grabbed a metal glass. He leaned forward and handed it to Mary Alice. She sat up and took the glass in her two hands. As she did, she got a vision of the man. She saw him with two girls and a woman. They were flying kites on a hill at a small field. Mary Alice didn't recognize any of it, but she was glad for the happy vision, for a change. She drank all of the water in the glass, then handed it back to the man.

"I'm Mary Alice." She introduced herself.

"Hello Mary Alice. I'm Mark Lewis. I'm very glad to meet you." He smiled at her.

"I'm very hungry." She looked at him hopefully.

Mark chuckled and stood up. He reached for the tray that had once contained the glass of water. He moved slowly, so as not to frighten Mary Alice, and slipped the food tray onto the bed next to her. She tried to remember her manners, but she was far too hungry. She grabbed the thick slice of bread off the tray, and stuffed a large portion of it, into her mouth. Then she picked up the bowl of soup and drank from it. When she had finished drinking the liquid from the soup, she began to spoon the vegetable pieces into her mouth. She was half way done, before she slowed down. She looked over at Mark sheepishly.

"I'm very sorry." she said softly.

"It's alright." Mark told her. "I know you've missed several meals, in the last few days." And he chuckled quietly.

"Are you this nice to your two daughters?" Mary Alice asked.

"How did you know that I had children?" Mark asked, suspicious of the information that she had, yet curious as to why such a young child would be placed in this hospital.

"I had a dream," she started, "when you gave me the glass."

"You were awake then."

"I know." Mary Alice sighed heavily. "I sometimes have dreams when I'm awake. Sometimes I see very bad things. Things that make me cry."

Mark watched as her eyes filled with tears, but had no idea how to soothe this odd child.

"Would you like me to hold you?" He asked her.

"No." She was adamant. "I don't want to see anything bad about you." The tears began to fall. "There's always something bad. Someone always gets hurt, or dies. I don't want to see it anymore."

Mark swallowed the lump that had developed in his throat before he could talk. He could not fathom the world that this child lived in; that would make her believe such things. He was sure that any parent that would send their child to this place, must have instilled, in that child's mind, all sorts of nightmares. But still, she did know about his girls.

"Maybe you should finish your dinner?" He suggested. "Then I'll see about getting you some cake."

"I like cake." Mary Alice smiled at him, then she turned to her tray, and finished the small meal.

Good as his word, Mark brought her a piece of cake, after he took her empty tray to the kitchen. He watched her eat in silence, using her best manners now that she didn't feel as if she were starving.

"I'm going into the dark soon." Mary Alice told him, when she had finished her cake.

"Why do you say that?" He asked, as he placed the empty plate in the dresser.

"I just know. I don't like the dark. I'm afraid of the eyes."

"The eyes?" He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "What eyes?"

"They are red. They look at me in the dark." Mary Alice shivered at the memory of the vision.

"Red eyes?" Mark smiled at Mary Alice. "It does sound terrifying."

"I know you don't believe me." Mary Alice began to pick at the stains on her night dress. "My Molly believed me."

"Your Molly?"

"Yes. She worked in the kitchen. She would give me a treat whenever I had a dream." Mary Alice lifted her head to look out the small window, as the memory of Molly's kitchen flooded her mind. "I miss Molly. She had the best treats."

"How old are you?" Mark asked.

"I'm four. I'll be five in August." She told him. "When is August?"

"Not for another eight months. It's just after Christmas. New Years is just a week away."

"Oh, Christmas!" Mary Alice brightened at the thought of Christmas. "Did my Grandmother bring me a present? Callie was making me a new dress."

"I'm sorry, Mary Alice. As far as I know, on one has come to see you, or brought you anything." Mark wondered at the people that could just forget about this amazing child. "But you've only been here for a few hours."

"Oh no," Mary Alice told him. "I was here yesterday. Dr. Hadley brought me here. Nurse Carver watched me yesterday."

Mark looked down at his hands, and frowned. He knew a Nurse Carver. She worked at another one of Dr. Hadley's hospitals, in Jackson County. He couldn't help but wonder why they were shuffling this child around. Who they could possibly be hiding her from.

Mary Alice was getting nervous. She looked around the room, and at the small window. Mark's reaction to her assurance that she had been there for two days, was confusing her. And scaring her.

"Please, let me talk to my Grandmother." Mary Alice pleaded with him.

"I'm really very sorry Mary Alice, but Nurse Carver works at another hospital, in Jackson County. Your paperwork lists you as having only a father. It says that you have no other living relatives."

Mary Alice burst into tears. She curled up on the bed, covered her face with her hands, and sobbed. Mark wanted to comfort her, but without touching her, there was nothing he could do. This child, old beyond her years, was breaking his heart, and there was nothing he could do to help her. Never in his career had he ever felt so useless. All he could do was offer her words of solace as she cried herself out, then keep watch over her as she slept.

After Mary Alice was sound asleep, Mark pulled his notebook from his back pocket, and he began to take his notes for the paperwork, at the end of his shift. He documented everything that Mary Alice had said, as well as his responses to her. As her nightmares began to cause her to talk in her sleep, he documented that as well. He could understand why the powers-that-be, had decided that she needed to be confined, but he could not understand why they had placed her here. Beauvoir Soldier's Home was for Confederate soldiers and their families. But it was not his place to question orders. It was his place to follow them; and follow them he would.

Mary Alice woke early the next morning. Mark was no longer sitting in the chair. There was another woman. She was an elderly with snow white hair, pulled back and wrapped into a net at the nape of her neck. She sat in the chair knitting, with a bag of yarn on the floor by her side. Mary Alice yawned and stretched, then sat up on the edge of the bed.

"Good morning," she greeted the woman. "I'm Mary Alice." She gave the woman her most winning smile. "What's your name?"

"Children should be quiet in the presence of adults." The woman said without taking her eyes off her knitting needles. "They should not speak unless spoken to. Do you understand me, little girl?"

"Yes, ma'am." Mary Alice spoke softly. She looked down at her hands in her lap. She swung her legs as she waited for the woman to say something, so she could ask to use the bathroom, or to eat breakfast. Mary Alice tried to be patient, but as the minutes stretched, the need to do something became more immediate.

"Please Ma'am," she started.

The woman slammed her knitting into her lap and glared at Mary Alice. "Yes child, what is it?" She demanded.

"May I use the bathroom, please?"

The elderly nurse jammed her knitting into her bag and grabbed Mary Alice by the wrist. At the woman's touch, the vision began. _She__ saw __her __crossing __a __street._ The nurse unlocked the door, and pulled Mary Alice through it, into the hallway. _She__ saw __a __horseless __carriage __come __around__ a __corner, __honking__ it's __horn, __and __frighten __some__ horses._ The nurse pulled her down the hallway, toward the bathrooms. _She__ saw __the __horses, __pulling __a __wagon __filled __with__ heavy __wooden __barrels, __go __wild__ and__ run__ the __woman __down._ The nurse reached into her pocket for the keys to the bathroom. _She __saw __the __blood, __and __bones __and __flesh__ of __the __woman, __and __she __screamed_. As Mary Alice screamed, her need for the bathroom became a moot point, and the woman began to yell at her. But Mary Alice was too far into the vision to care about what the woman had to say.

Her screaming, and the woman's yelling at her, brought others into the hall. Soon there were several people trying to sooth Mary Alice, as the visions escalated with each touch of a hand. She saw the war, and the injuries the men suffered. She saw the treatments some of them had at the hospitals close to the fighting. And she screamed until the familiar stab of the injection carried her away, into the darkness.

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><p><strong>Thank you Brenda, for making me laugh this morning. That's the reason I posted early.<strong>


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of the irrespective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her TwilightSaga series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13<strong>

**The Bottom Of The Well**

It was dark when Alice woke, darker than she had ever seen it. She was on a thin mattress, but it was on the floor this time. Her body hurt from the hardness of the floor, and the position she had been sleeping in. She looked around her, trying to see something, anything, that would tell her where she was. She listened carefully, and heard the sounds of footsteps from above. She felt the floor and discovered it was dirt, then brushed her hands together to clean them off, while pulling herself farther onto the mattress. Her head snapped up when she heard the sound of rattling keys echo from outside the room.

"Please." She whispered. "Please, can I use the bathroom?" Mary Alice cringed on the hard lumpy mattress, as she heard the keys being worked in the lock of her door.

She felt, rather him saw, him approach. His advance was silent, but his breath was ice cold as she felt it on her face, when he got close. His eyes seemed to give off a soft, faint incandescence. She gasped when she saw the red glow, backing farther onto the mattress, that she soon discovered, was against a wall.

"No need to be frightened, child. I don't eat children." The smooth musical voice seemed amused.

"Don't touch me." Mary Alice hissed out.

"Why not?" He asked. He had never seen a child so terrified. He had seldom seen an adult so terrified, and still capable of coherent speech.

"I don't want to see." She began to cry.

"See what?" His voice was nearly laughing.

"I don't want to see the people you've killed."

Her voice had not even been a whisper, yet he heard her. He heard her loud and clear. He stood and walked to the end of the room, where he found a large metal bucket. He brought it back with him, and placed it next to the mattress. Then we went to the wall, across from where she sat crying. He pulled a small piece of material from a tiny slit of a window, and threw it on the bed.

"The bucket is your bathroom." His voice had turned hard, but it was still beautiful. "Use the clothe for a blanket." He pulled the keys from his pocket and moved to her door, but stopped before leaving. "My name is Thane. Whisper for me, should you need anything." He left the room as quietly as he had entered.

Mary Alice continued to cry until the need to relieve herself became too much for her. She got up and used the bucket, then struggled with it until it was sitting next to the closed cell door. She returned to her mattress, and waited. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she noticed the the room was not completely dark. She saw a small sliver of moonlight through the slit of a window that Thane had uncovered. The moonlight hit the end of the mattress that was farthest from the door. She pulled the small piece of material over her, as she laid her head on the spot where the light was the brightest.

As she watched the small slice of sky, she listened to the sounds of the basement. She heard Thane's keys, as he entered another cell. She heard the whine of a man, as he was gripped with fear, then a small gasp of pain. She heard a quiet sucking sound that reminded her of Cynthia. And she heard the soft cries of the man, as he collapsed onto the dirt floor, moaning weakly. She heard Thane as he closed the cell door, and she heard the sound of the keys as he continued down the hallway. By the time he was opening the next cell door, she was asleep again.

The light of day woke Mary Alice. There was no direct sun, but the sliver of daylight did allow some light into the room. She blinked her eyes and looked for the bucket to relieve herself. She noticed that it had been emptied and washed out, and was thankful. When she looked around, she was able to discern the dimensions of the room. It was smaller than the rooms she had been in before, but there was nothing in the room except the mattress, and the bucket. She placed one hand on the wall near the door, and began to walk around the room. She hummed to herself as she walked, waiting for someone to come and bring her breakfast. But as the hours crawled by, her stomach began to growl and roll in on itself. She became dizzy and had to sit down before she fell, as the room began to spin.

"Please, may I have something to eat?" She whispered. "Please?" But no one came.

#

Mary Alice woke to the darkness, again. This time, she was sure she was in the same place. She tried to sit up, but her stomach rolled, and the world began to spin.

"Please," she whispered, with her eyes closed against the spinning. "Please may I have something to eat?"

Mary Alice heard the keys jangle from the end of the hall. She heard the tumblers of her lock clang into place, and her door swing open.

"Please," she whimpered.

Thane looked down at the tiny child, curled in on herself. He tilted his head to his left shoulder and smiled. He went to the child and stooped down, balancing on the balls of his feet.

"Weren't your meals enough for you, little one?" He asked her softly.

"I asked," Mary Alice cried, "but no one came."

Thane was suddenly standing. He frowned down at her, anger beginning to cloud his red eyes.

"You have had nothing to eat today?"

Mary Alice could hear the anger in his voice, and she cringed at the thought that it was directed at her. But she shook her head, as she slowly moved away from him. She could hear Thane as he sniffed the room, then the obscenity that hissed from between his teeth.

"Take my hand, child." He ordered her.

"No!" Mary Alice cried, the fear increasing. "I'll see."

Thane studied her. He watched the tears pour from her eyes. He watched the way she held her head in defiance of him. Thane was not in the habit of being denied, especially not by a mere human, and definitely not by a human child. He grabbed Mary Alice by the hand, and gave her a small tug. She came up off the floor instantly and struggled to get her feet under her. The minute she felt the icy fingers wrap around her hand, she saw him, as he went into the cells. She saw how he used a knife to cut the arms of those in the cells, then suck the blood from the wounds. She watched as he would lick the wounds clean of blood, then leave the cell, leaving the person alive.

"You don't kill them." She whispered.

Thane looked down into the wide brown eyes of this most amazing child.

"Do you read minds, child?"

"No. I have dreams. Auntie Molly said that I have the sight." Mary Alice didn't know what to make of this ice cold creature. She looked up at him, trying to see his face, but all she could see was the red of his eyes. "What is the sight?" Her curiosity was beginning to get the better of her.

"Walk with me, and I'll tell you."

Mary Alice walked by Thane's side, her hand clinging to his little finger, as he led her down the dark, dirty hallway. At the end of the hall, she saw a small gas light over a large sink, with a table on one side and an old metal cabinet on the other. She watched as Thane turned on the water, then lifted her to the table. Mary Alice sat on the table as Thane adjusted the water temperature. She was finally able to see his face, and was surprised at what she saw.

"You're pretty." Mary Alice giggled, but soon began to feel dizzy, again. "I don't feel well." She told Thane, and she leaned over to lay on the table.

"Feel this, child." Thane ordered Mary Alice, as the water in the sink had begun to rise.

"It's very hot." She told him, sliding her hand over to the sink and into the water.

Thane turned off the hot water, and let the cold run for another minute. As the temperature of the water cooled, he reached over to the cabinet. From it he pulled a bar of soap, and an apple. He handed the apple to Mary Alice, then reached back into the cabinet for a clean rag and a metal cup. He filled the cup with water before turning the tap off.

"Chew that," Thane ordered Mary Alice, as he watched her taking bites of the apple, and swallowing them whole. "And slow down."

"I don't get to eat very often here." She told him.

"You will now." Thane frowned at her. "You would make an astounding one of us, when you're older, of course." He smiled down at her, as she chewed her apple.

"You were going to tell me." She said between bites.

"Tell you? Oh, yes. The sight. It is a used to describe the ability to see the past, or future of some one, or some thing."

"You talk funny." She giggled and finished her apple.

When she was completely finished, there was nothing left of the apple but the stem. Thane took the short stem, between the tips of his thumb and first finger, and threw it into a small trash can under the sink.

"Now," he smiled at Mary Alice, "you need to take off that filthy night dress."

Mary Alice looked at him, shocked at what he was asking of her.

"But you are a man." She whispered at him.

"Of course I am." he laughed. "But I can assure you, I have no interest in the tiny bodies of miniature humans. I only wish to bathe you."

"But I've never been naked in front of a man." Her voice came out on her breath, as a heavy whisper.

"You mean your daddy never gave you a bath?" Thane had read her file after finding her in one of his cells. He wasn't usually curious about his charges, but a child of such a tender age struck him as much too young to be in his cellar-at the bottom of this well.

Mary Alice sat straight up, her eyes locked with his laughing red ones.

"My Daddy wants me to die." She announced this with all the conviction of someone far older than her four and a half years.

Thane stood back from her and frowned deeply.

"Perhaps it is your father who needs to die." he stated quietly, as he pulled her night dress over her head. "But as for right now, it is time for you to bathe. Into the water, little one." He forced a smile on his face, as he watched Mary Alice slide from the table into the sink.

"Ohhh," she moaned. "That feels so good." She giggled as she dunked her head into the water, and felt the warmth seep into her cold tired body. "My name is Mary Alice." she told Thane.

"Rather long for such a tiny girl." He joked with her. "I'll call you Alice. It means, to be of nobility. Are you noble, Miss Alice?"

Alice giggled as Thane scrubbed her hair.

"Nnnooo." She sang her answer. "I'm not noble." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "What does noble mean?"

Thane laughed as he rinsed her hair.

"Miss Alice," he stooped to look her in the eye. "I am very strong, and not accustomed to handling such small humans. If I ever hurt you, you must tell me immediately. Do you understand?"

"Yes Mr. Thane." Alice looked very serious, as she nodded her head to verify that she understood what he said. "But what does noble mean?"

Thane chuckled to himself as he soaped the rag, and began washing Alice's body.

"You don't need to call me mister. Thane is all that is required. And as for noble, it is to give of oneself, before taking for oneself. To be of nobility means to be born of noble or royal blood. Like a king or a queen."

"Thane?"

"Yes, Alice."

"Will you drink my blood when I grow up?"

He was caught completely off guard by her question. Thane realized that he was going to have to stay on his toes with this child. She was going to cause him some heartache, he could feel it in his bones.

"No Alice. I will never drink your blood. It will make no difference if you live to be one-hundred years old. I will never drink from you. But I will protect you. I will never be far from you. Not from this day forward, for as long as there is venom in my bite, will you never be without my protection."

Alice smiled at him, and when he leaned in to continue her bath, she placed her wet hands on his lean cheeks, and kissed his lips. Thane jumped back from her, shocked by her show of affection. Alice's eyes grew wide in surprise.

"I'm sorry." She frowned and lowered her head.

"No Alice." Thane stepped back to the sink and continued with the bath. "I am the one who is sorry. You did nothing wrong, my child. Nothing at all." He smiled at her, to take away the sting of his actions, and tried to draw her into conversation.

"Tell me about yourself."

"I'm four and a half." She told him. "I'll be five in August. Mark said that August is in about eight months. Mark was very nice. I miss my Grandmother. Callie was making me a new dress for Christmas. I didn't get it. Molly would give me treats when ever I had a dream, scary or not. I just had to go down to the kitchen and wait for her. She had really good treats."

Alice prattled on about her life in the Brandon house. She told Thane about her mother, and her death. About her sister Cynthia. She talked about Rita, and her son. By the end of her bath, Thane knew all there was to know about a four-year-olds life. When she was clean to his satisfaction, Thane drained the sink, and wrapped her in a large towel he pulled from the cabinet.

"You sure keep a lot of things in that cabinet." Alice watched as he pulled out a men's shirt and some string.

He laughed at her curiosity and set her on the table. He toweled her hair dry, then helped her put on the shirt. She stood while he tied some of the string around her waist, making the shirt into a long dress for her. Then he rolled the sleeves and tied them up around her upper arms. He frowned again, when he looked at her feet.

"I was in bed when my Daddy took me to the man in the carriage. He said his name was Dr. Hadley." Alice looked down at her feet. "I don't have any shoes." She sighed heavily.

"Never you mind." Thane told Alice. He picked her up off the table, and carried her back to her cell. "Stay here." He set her down on the mattress and left her cell, closing the door behind him.

Alice listened as he let himself into another cell. She heard him as he sucked blood from someone in the next cell. From the sounds, she counted five other people in the cellar. She was sure she was the only child there, and she suddenly felt very lonely. As she heard the keys approaching her cell again, she called to Thane.

"What is it, my child." Thane asked as he stooped to look at Alice.

"Your eyes are so bright." She placed a hand against his cheek, and felt the cold. "What are you?"

Thane saw no fear in her-not anymore. Now that he had fed, he had the time to sit and talk to her.

"I am a monster," he told her.

"No you're not." Alice giggled.

"But I drink blood. That is something a monster does."

"But you are nice to me. And you don't kill the people. I can hear you. You only take a little from each one. Monsters just kill people."

"What do you know of monsters, Alice? Have you ever met one?"

Alice thought hard for a moment, before her mouth opened in a large 'O', and she breathed out the words, "I know one." She leaned closer to Thane, as if it was a secret. "My Daddy." She told him.

Thane was once again, taken aback by this small, perceptive human child.

"Yes." He agreed with her. "I believe that your father may be a monster." He took a moment to think on the issue, before he asked Alice another question. "Tell me Alice, what is your father's name?"

"Vernon." Alice began playing with the hem of the shirt she wore. "Vernon Brandon. He's a lawyer."

As she said her father's name, she sat straight up and the vision started. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she saw Thane stalking her father through the dark streets. She saw him grab her father by the hair, and pull his head to the side. She moaned and shook, as she saw Thane sink his teeth into her father's neck, and begin to suck the blood from his veins. She watched as Thane let his body drop to the ground in the alley where he found him. She watched as he wiped away the single drop of blood that escaped his mouth, with the back of his hand, than lick his hand clean. And finally, she watched the satisfied smile that spread across his lips, as he looked down at the body.

Thane waited patiently while Alice came out of the vision. He noticed how her breathing was heavy and loud. He watched as she began to refocus on the here and now. And he watched-as she looked up at him in wonder.

"Will you drink from the other people, on the night you kill my father?"

Thane should not have been surprised, but he was. Alice was a marvel. One he intended to protect, and avenge. And he decided then and there, that he would always be honest with this tiny human.

"No, my child." He smiled at her. "That night, and for several nights afterwards, I shall not need to feed."

"Will you tell my father that I said Merry Christmas? I wasn't home for Christmas." Alice looked sad. "I missed Christmas."

Thane had never considered human holidays to be of any interest, but with Alice in his life, he would have to change his way of thinking. He quickly considered her predicament, and thought of things he would be able to do for her.

"Alice."

She looked up at him.

"Do not expect anything during the day. I will be here as night falls, until dawn. Sleep as much as you can, during the day. Ask for nothing. I will provide for you."

Alice nodded her understanding.

"This is important, Alice. Listen to me carefully." He placed his finger under her chin, and tilted her face a little higher, to look at him. "You must never tell anyone about the blood. You must never tell anyone about the things I do for you. You must never tell anyone about the things we talk about." He smiled at her, sure she was able to see it in his eyes. "Do you understand me, Alice?"

Alice smiled back at him. "Yes, Thane. I understand. I'm very good at keeping a secret."

"If you tell anyone, they may move you to another place, and I won't be able to see you as much."

Alice jumped to her feet, and threw herself at him. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she squeezed as tightly as her child's muscles could squeeze. Thane hesitated, then wrapped his arms around her as well. He felt her begin to sob, as he smelled, then felt her tears dampen his neck.

"Please don't leave me." He heard her muffled plea, as her lips moved against his neck. "I'll never tell anyone. Please, don't you leave me, too."

Thane held her until she stopped sobbing and fell asleep. He laid her on the filthy mattress and covered her with the scrap of curtain. As his hand caressed her head, he realized that she would need a hairbrush soon, or he would have to cut the tangles from her hair. He looked to the window slit, and saw the sky was beginning to lighten. He rose and went to it and sniffed. Rain. He smiled to himself. It was going to be a good shopping day. He took one more look back at Alice, before closing and locking the door to her cell. Today was going to be a very busy day for him.

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><p><em><strong>Please Review!<strong>_


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of the irrespective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her Twilight Saga series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

**Patience and Presents**

It was still daylight when Alice woke. She looked out the window and saw that it would soon be dusk, so she used her bucket then sat on the mattress to wait for Thane. She hummed a simple tune, as she played with the hem of Thane's shirt. She was hungry, but she knew that he would bring her something. The room began to darken, sucking all light from the room. The jangle of the keys brought a smile to her face. Alice pulled her legs under her, and sat on her heels when the key turned in her lock. Thane entered the room, carrying several bundles in his arms.

Alice started to squeal and clap her hands, but he hushed her quickly.

"Quietly, my child." He warned her. "We mustn't draw attention to ourselves." He dropped the bundles next to her.

"Are we having Christmas?" Alice asked, her eyes wide with wonder.

Thane thought about it for a flash, then nodded. "I suppose you could call it a sort of Christmas. But first you must eat."

Alice watched in amazement, as he disappeared, then suddenly returned with a tray. He set the tray on the floor and watched as Alice looked at it.

"Is it for me?" The doubt in her voice nearly broke his heart.

"Of course it is for you. I do not eat such things. But you must eat slowly." He warned her, all to aware that she had not been given very much food in the lasts several days.

Alice reached for the milk with both hands, and drank half of it before setting the glass back on the tray. She tried the turkey and gravy next, moaning at the flavor as she chewed each bite thoroughly. Thane warned her against opening any of the bundles until his return, and advised her to chew properly, then left her to enjoy her meal, while he went to enjoy his.

Alice had finished her meal by the time he returned to her cell. She smiled at him as he entered her cell.

"May I open a present now?" Her smile was huge but her eyes were sleepy.

"You look tired." Thane told her. "Are you sure you do not want to take a nap first?"

"Oh no." Alice was suddenly very awake and alert. "I'm ready now."

Thane laughed and handed her a bundle. Alice carefully unwrapped the bundle and worked very hard to cut her squeal short. Socks, with lacy tops, fell from the plain brown paper, and into Alice's lap.

"Can I put them on?" Alice picked up the socks, then looked up into Thane's eyes.

"Yes. You may wear any or all of the clothing you will receive, today."

"Oh!" Alice nearly cried. "Clothes!" Her words came out as breathy awed whispers.

Alice took one of the two pairs of lacy socks, and pulled them onto her cold feet. She carefully folded down the tops, so the lace flowed down her heels and over the tops of her feet.

"Beautiful," she breathed.

She looked at Thane, and he handed her another bundle. Again, she carefully unwrapped the bundle, but this time she was unable to stop the squeal that escaped her throat. Instead, she slapped her hands over her mouth and shut her eyes tightly. Thane laughed at the sounds that evaded her hands, and watched as she worked to control herself. She held the dress up in front of her eyes, and clamped her lips shut, as more squeals threatened to bubble to the surface.

He laughed as he helped her remove his shirt, and put on the new dress. Alice danced around on the mattress until she launched herself into Thane's arms.

"I feel like a princess," she whispered into his neck.

"Would you care to continue with the packages, My Lady." He made a point of bowing his head to her, then smiled as Alice giggled at his play acting.

"Yes, please," Alice told him, her hands clasped together, and once again sitting back on her heels.

Thane handed her the third bundle. Alice gave the box a gentle shake near her ear.

"Ooohhh," she sang. "I think I know what this is." She was as careful with it's wrapping as she had been with the others, then pulled the top off of the shoe box. "So pretty," she sighed and gingerly took one of the black patent-leather shoes from the box.

Alice looked around at the dirt floor, then sadly placed the shoe back into the box. She smiled at the shoes and pet them, as if they were the most precious of kittens, nestled in their white tissue paper. She replaced the lid and handed the box back to Thane.

"What is wrong, my little Alice?" Thane couldn't understand Alice's actions. She obviously loved the shoes, but refused to put them on.

"They don't belong on dirt floors," Alice sighed.

Thane understood and smiled at her. "Maybe these would be better, for now." He handed her another shoe box, this one not wrapped in paper.

Alice opened the box and laughed at the tiny black boots in the box. She pulled her legs out from under her, and pushed her feet into the boots. She stuck out her feet for Thane to tie the boots up, one at a time. When she was securely tied into her boots, she stepped off the mattress and began to dance in circles, as she hummed a happy tune.

"Do you know any Christmas songs?" she asked Thane, as she flew into his arms.

He thought for a moment, then realized that he was doing that quite frequently, since meeting this small human. Thinking, that is. She was most certainly going to break his heart, he thought not for the first time.

"No. I don't believe I do." He tilted his head to his left shoulder. "I'll have to see about that." He mumbled, as he handed Alice another bundle.

Alice sat back down on the mattress, and accepted the next bundle. She was very happy to see a new blanket, and a clean sheet for her bed.

"This will keep me very warm," she told Thane.

In the next bundle she found a book, a small set of 15 colors of crayons, as well as pencils, lined paper, and a slate with chalk.

"Are you going to teach me?" Alice was in awe of this cold creature that called himself a monster.

"Someone will have to, my child."

Alice giggled, as he brought in the last of her bundles. It was large, and hard. Alice watched as Thane picked it up by the sides and placed it in the back of the room. Alice wondered why he would place one of her presents in the dark, but she would never think to ask him anything. She was far too grateful for all the things he had given her. She stood by as he disappeared again, then suddenly reappeared at her side. He lit a candle then pulled the fabric off the final gift. Tears immediately flooded Alice's eyes, as she slowly stepped forward and touched the small desk. Her hands slid along the smooth top, then down the drawers. She finally stretched her arms out over the top of the desk, and laid her head on it.

"Mine," she sighed almost silently.

Thane heard her, and smiled. "I have a stool you can use, until I'm able to get you a chair." Alice stood to listen to him. "You will have to hide your things in these drawers," he told her. "Make sure you put out the candle when you are done." He placed a saucer with a candle stuck to it, on the desk. "The candle will be fine, if you push it all the way into the corner. Human eyes can not see into the darkness."

Alice nodded and ran to the mattress to gather her things. She placed them all on top of the desk, then began to sort them into their own drawers. She talked to herself as she worked, jabbering away about learning to read, and write. He almost laughed out loud, as she told the box of crayons that she had just the right kind of paper, to make him some beautiful drawings with. Thane stood back and smiled at her. As he backed to the door, he wondered about the sort of man that could throw away a child as amazing as his little Alice. And he grew angry.

He quietly closed her cell door, and locked it. He stalked through hall in an ugly mood. He was the night keeper, and had his own room away from the stench of the cells. He retired to his room now, and studied the file on his little Alice. What he read did not match with anything that Alice had said. He chose to believe Alice. He thought about her father, and decided that he would have to do something about a monster of his caliber—soon.

He thought about the others Alice had mentioned. He was unsure as to what to do about the grandmother situation. Alice was a seer. Their world would brand her a witch, and she would have a very unhappy human existence. What could he offer her in exchange? Darkness? Sure, she was happy now, but that was because he had just given her gifts. Christmas. Thane stood at the side of his bed, as still as a statue. The possibilities ran through his mind. Many possibilities with a myriad of permutations. He decided that he did not have enough information to make any decisions, at this time. He would have to gain a better understanding of the people involved. But first, the father.

Thane smiled, and his teeth shown bright white in the dim candle light.

#

Alice was sure it was a Sunday. She could hear the organ music and singing from the floor above her. When she knew the song, she sang along with the music. When she didn't, she listened and tried to learn it. It was late morning and she was still awake. It had been a very exciting night for her. She smiled to herself, as she lay her head on her clean sheet, and pulled her warm blanket up under her chin. She hummed until she fell into a dreamless sleep.

She woke to the smell of bacon. Alice yawned and stretched. When her eyes finally opened, Thane was stooped by her bed, waving a tray slowly, near her nose.

"Wake up sleepy head." He smiled at her.

"Oh." Alice said as she sat up. "Your eyes are very bright tonight." She looked at him curiously. "Have you already fed?" She looked at the window slit and saw that it was only just past twilight.

"I ate out today," he told her.

"You did?" She was even more curious. "Did you have a good meal? Where was it? Where did you eat?" She walked with him, as he took her tray to the desk and lit the candle.

"You act as if I've eaten at a restaurant."

"A restaurant? What is that?"

"A place where humans eat, when not at home."

"Oooohhh. Did you eat at a restraunt?"

"Restaurant." He corrected her. "No, little one. I do not eat in such places, remember?"

Alice sat on the stool and looked at the bacon, scrambled eggs, and buttered toast. "Then what did you eat?" she asked.

"I ate a monster, tonight." Thane smiled as he stood straight. His head tilted to the left as he watched for her reaction. "And he was very good."

Alice took a bite of the eggs and suddenly smiled. She swallowed the eggs and turned to look over her shoulder. "You ate my Daddy," she stated easily.

"Yes I did, my child. Now it is time for you to eat."

Alice turned to her tray, and ate her breakfast. She watched her manners and drank her milk. When she was done, Thane took her tray away, and he began to teach her. He found teaching Alice to be a rewarding experience. She was intelligent, and quick. He made sure to stop during the night, to give Alice more food.

He found that he could feed her two meals each night, and leave her some sort of snack to eat during the day. He made sure she had fresh milk with both meals and a cup of cool water hidden on the desk, for later in the day. Her lessons continued between the meals, interrupted only by a short nap around midnight. By the end of the week, she knew her alphabet, and could count to one-hundred. Thane was proud of his star pupil. And Alice loved her Thane.

On the following Sunday, just before dawn, Thane was tucking Alice into bed when she, once again, shocked him with a question. He had leaned down to tuck the blanket around her when she looked into his eyes and stopped him cold.

"Thane?"

"Yes Miss Alice," he said as his fingers pushed the blanket under the sides of her body.

"Will you marry me when I grow up?"

Thane froze. The child never ceased to amaze him. He looked into her eyes and remembered his promise to always tell her the truth.

"No, my child. You are not to be my mate."

"Oh," Alice pulled her hands out from under the blanket, and looked at them sadly. "What is a mate?" she looked at him again.

"My kind, we have mates, like humans have wives and husbands. But my kind only have one mate, for all or our existence."

"Just one?"

"Just one."

"I'm not your one?"

"No, little one. You are not my one."

"Oh." Alice yawned and closed her eyes. She began falling asleep rapidly, mumbling to herself.

Thane listened hard to her sleepy words.

"I want to find my one," she mumbled into her blanket. "Umm...sper" was all that he could understand before she fell into a deep sleep.

Thane looked around the room, confirming that everything was put away and out of sight. He left the room and locked the door, once again chuckling at the mind of his little Alice. He went to the door at the opposite end of the hall from his room. He sniffed at the outside air that blew through the cracks around the ill-fitting exterior portal. Rain. Finally. He smiled to himself. Today he would explore the Brandon women. Then he would decide what to do about his little Alice. As his shift ended, Thane threw open the heavy wooden door and stepped into the light rain. By the end of the day, he would know what to tell Alice about her grandmother. He frowned as he left the house property. The idea of losing his little Alice was not a pleasant thought. But that was something he was going to have to deal with, once he had the information he needed. For now, he was content to know that she was sleeping safely and soundly.

#

Alice slept through the day, waking just before Thane came on duty. She heard the jangle of his keys, and knew he was coming to her room. He never visited the other rooms except to feed, but he always brought her breakfast before he did. She stood by the side of her bed as he entered the room.

"Good morning, my child." Thane greeted her.

"Good morning, Thane." She smiled broadly at him.

She followed him to her desk and sat down on the stool.

"Waffles." Alice moaned in happiness. "I like waffles."

Thane quickly cut the large waffles into small pieces for her. He poured the hot maple syrup over the pieces, then stood back and watched her begin to eat.

"Thank you, Thane." Alice nodded as he reminded her to mind her manners and drink her milk, then he left the room.

When Alice had finished eating, and Thane had removed her tray, he brought a chair in for himself, so he could sit close, while he talked to her.

"Alice," she turned toward him. "I want to talk to you about your grandmother." Alice's eyes brightened, and she began to bounce in her seat. "Please, don't," Thane shook his head slowly. Alice tried to rein in her excitement when she saw how sad Thane appeared. "Your grandmother has died."

Alice sat still, her mouth open and her eyes wide.

"I'm sorry, my child. I was too late with your father."

Alice reached a hand out to Thane, and grabbed his thumb. Her eyes rolled back and she saw what he did not want to tell her. She saw her grandmother fly down the stairs, on the morning she had disappeared. She saw her confront her father, and she saw him get angry. She began to shake as she watched him beat her grandmother, until she was dead on the floor at his feet. She watched as he carried her body out to the back of the house, to the burn pile. And she cried silent tears as she watched her grandmother's body burn, while her father chuckled.

Thane pulled Alice to his chest, as she cried. He watched her come out of the vision, and whispered soothing words to her. Eventually she reached her arms around his neck, and continued to cry.

"I love you, Thane," she whispered into his neck.

When she had stopped crying, he pulled out his handkerchief and helped her blow her nose. He sat her back on her stool and gave her a sad smile.

"I'm sorry I wasn't in time to help your grandmother." He watched her as she worked to calm herself. The strength of this small child constantly amazed him. "Do you want to know about the others?"

Alice nodded, and whispered a soft, "Yes."

"Rita and her son are gone. They live, but there was nothing left of your father's fortune, so she took her son and left town. No one knows where she went. There is speculation that she returned to her family in Louisiana. Callie inherited your grandmother's money. She still lives in the house with Cynthia and Molly. A man named Alexander has returned to the house, and works the grounds." Thane studied Alice's face before he continued. "Alice, my child. They think you are dead. They believe your father killed you."

Alice reached out to him as her eyes, once again, rolled back. This time the vision was short. Alice returned to him and sighed deeply. She stood and reached out for him to pick her up. She sat on his leg, and leaned her head into his shoulder, clinging to his shirt. They sat silently for almost an hour. Thane was uncertain as to how to proceed, but he was ready to try to engage her in conversation again, when Alice sighed again, and pushed herself off his chest. She turned so she could see his face, and gave him a sad smile.

"I can't go back," she told him. "It would not be good for Cynthia. And I would never meet my mate."

Thane smiled at her. "You are a very silly girl, my child. Humans do not have mates."

"I know." Alice climbed off his lap, and went back to her stool.

Thane watched her pull out her school supplies, while a large portion of his mind considered her last statement. It made no sense to him, unless she envisioned herself as one of his kind. Thane refused to think on that topic. He could not imagine any circumstance in which he would turn Alice. Nor would he allow any other of his kind to turn her. Not as long as there was venom in his throat.

The night progressed as normal. Alice worked on her studies while Thane watched over her. He corrected her work as needed, and adjusted her posture when she began to slump over the desk. He helped her to hold the pencil properly, and asked her to draw him a picture as dawn approached. Alice drew a picture of her grandmother, and gave it to him to keep. Thane found a hammer and a couple small nails and tacked the picture to the wooden wall, over Alice's desk. As the sun began to rise, he tucked her into her bed. Alice grabbed him by his cheeks and pulled his face to her.

"I love you, Thane," she told him. Then she pulled her head up off her mattress and kissed him on the lips. She let his face go, laid her head down and snuggled into her blanket.

Thane smiled a sad smile and left her room. He was still troubled by her statement about meeting her mate. The short conversation rolled around in his mind, refusing to keep quiet. It was a puzzle he would not solve today, and was very unlikely to solve it tomorrow. But it would stay with him, and one day he would understand. As he considered that, he realized that he wasn't sure he wanted to understand, not if it meant that his little Alice would one day become a part of his world.

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><p><strong>Please let me know what you think, and leave a review.<strong>

**Thank you for reading.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her Twilight Saga series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

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><p><strong>Chapter 15<strong>

**Time Passes**

"Please Thane?" Alice ran after her benefactor, as he retreated down the hall to his room. "It'll be my tenth birthday present. Please?" She heard him grumble and growl, as he closed the door to shut her out. "It's the only thing I want. Something only you can give me." She was whispering at his door, leaning her cheek against the cold metal. "Please?"

When the door was suddenly jerked open, she nearly fell into him. She grabbed his arm to keep her balance, while he glared down at her. Once Alice was standing in front of him, smiling innocently, Thane tried, again, to make Alice understand.

"It is not a pleasant thing. Most assuredly _not_ for a ten year old human child. And why would you even suggest it as a birthday gift?"

Alice huffed a heavy sigh and looked up at Thane.

"I hear you every night. You try not to hurt them. I know that if you would just go and kill someone, that you wouldn't have to feed for almost a week. But you only take a little from each one, so you have to feed every night. So no one dies. I just want to see how you do it. Please Thane. I want to understand."

"Dearest child." Thane reached down and pulled Alice into his arms. He talked to her as he carried her back to her cell. "The taking of blood-is a thing of nightmares. When I am at my least human. It is not the way I wish you to see me. I prefer you never have cause to fear me."

Alice wrapped her arms around Thane's neck and laid her head on his chest.

"I could never be afraid of you. You're my Thane. I know you're not human. Watching you feed could never frighten me. But Thane," Alice lifted her head and looked him in the eye, "one day you will change me. I've seen it. You don't want to, but you don't have a choice." She laid her head back against his cold chest. "But it's going to be alright. I'll want you to."

Thane laid Alice on the bed he had made her, for her sixth birthday, and tucked her in. He kissed her forehead, then cupped his hand around the crown of her head.

"We'll see," he told her, to stop the argument, for now.

Alice reached up and placed her small palm against Thane's cheek.

"It'll be alright, Thane. I love you." Then she yawned and rolled over and went to sleep.

Thane stood and looked down at the small child he was learning to raise. He knew that he had provided her sufficient nourishment, but she remained small for her kind. For her age. Knowing very little of her heritage (her father was of moderate height), this concerned him. He hoped that it was a maternal family trait, and not something he had done wrong. Every six months, someone from above would come for her. He knew when they had taken her. He could hear them, and she would still be sleeping when he came on shift. She would be groggy for the rest of the night, as she fought off the effects of the sedatives they would inject into her, to calm her, after placing her in a situation where several of the patients could touch her. He would read the updates in her file, smile at their ineptitude, then spend the night caring for her. Never did any of the updates suggest that she was malnourished, undersized, or ill-kept.

Thane often wondered what they thought she had been living off of, considering the only food she ate was what he took from the doctors' private larder. Or what she wore, since he provided her clothing from his own funds. In his mind, they had dropped her into a hole, and tried very hard to erase her existence. Since Alice had arrived in one of his cells, he had given a great deal of thought to both the concept, and reality, of monsters. He saw himself elevated above the level of murderous monster, as he wondered at the humanity of the inhuman, and the inhumanity of the human. He had his doubts for a world that allowed a monster, such as he, to provide the only solace in the life of a human child.

At the same time these thoughts drifted through his consciousness, he also worried about Alice's statement that he would turn her some day. Over the years, she had made several references to being turned. He never liked her thinking that way, but he also knew that her visions were real. Although they tended to be quite erratic, they were frequently quite accurate. She no longer feared touching him; her visions of him were seldom shocking to her. In fact, after the first few days, nothing seemed to shock his unusual child. Thane sighed, as he grasped the fact that he had accepted her as _his_ child. She was not exclusively his charge, but she had come to encompass his existence, as a daughter would to any father. He huffed slightly to himself. Any father but her own.

"Fuck him." Thane growled lowly. He smiled, as he remembered the pleasure he had taken in killing that worthless bloodbag.

His shift was over. It was time for him to retire to his room. The small room was a perk of working the night shift. The pay was small, but free room and board was included. Of course, his meals were not what was expected, but they never bothered to check, as to whether he had received a meal or not. And they almost never intruded into his domain. As long as there was a body to walk the dark corridors, no one cared what happened down here. He looked around his small room. The bed had been a waste of space, because he never slept. He had modified the frame, so Alice could have a decent sleeping space. It was hidden in the corner, along the same wall as her desk. The old mattress had been used on it for a while, but it was now under the bed frame. He had bought her a better mattress on her seventh birthday, along with new sheets and a new blanket.

Alice was always grateful for everything he gave her. She never took anything for granted. But her biggest love was clothing. She would immediately put on any dress he gave her, then dance around him to see how it fit. And she was not shy in the slightest. She would dress and undress in front of him, without thinking twice about it. This was beginning to concern Thane. She was getting too old for such free behavior. He was going to have to begin to teach her to become more modest about her body. But the idea seemed to bother him. It was a moment before he discovered the cause of the unease. It would mean that his little Alice was growing up, and Thane wasn't sure how he felt about that.

He shrugged his shoulders and moved to sit in his wing-backed chair. He picked up his book, and began to read. A part of his mind always listened to what was happening in the dark corridors of the cells. He heard the day-orderly maneuver quietly through the cells. He pulled in a large breath, through his nose. This male he recognized. He had only been working at this home for a short time, but Thane was sure this was not his first hospital job. He always brought Alice food, and usually something special. Thane would take the food, and place it in his cold storage, and reheat it for her later. The others he ladled out bowls of a disgusting thin porridge. This human would return two more times during the day, bringing meals to the imprisoned patients, and checking on their condition. Some whimpered as her inserted his key, others screamed and attacked, but he treated them all fairly, all except his Alice. Her, he gave special treatment to. Thane made a mental note to discover who this human was, and evaluate the threat level to his child.

#

"Mary Alice?"

Alice felt a warm hand shaking her awake.

"Mary Alice?"

The voice seemed vaguely familiar, like a reminder from another life. Alice fought the fog, and finally awoke.

"Hello, Mary Alice."

She rolled over and sat up in the edge of the bed. The human face she saw, seemed familiar as well.

"Do I know you?" Alice asked.

"It has been a few years, but we met at another hospital." He smiled, hoping she would remember. Finally, sighing, he introduced himself. "I'm Mark. Do you remember me now?"

Alice thought about it, then she remembered something.

"You have two girls and a wife." Alice grinned at him.

"Yes." His smile widened. He looked around the room. "Someone has been caring for you, I see." Alice became nervous. "Don't you worry about it." Mark reassured her. "I'm just glad to see it. They don't care about the people down here. I'm happy to see that someone has taken an interest in keeping you alive." He walked around the room, looking at her things, then returned to Alice. He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, before he spoke again.

"I see someone has been teaching you. My daughters are several years older than you, and we have collected quite a few school books that you may be able to use. As long as I can get them in here, without anyone finding out, I'll bring them to you. They're old and used, but..."

"Oh, yes. Please do." Alice pleaded, bouncing on her bottom and clapping her hands. "I love to learn and Tha..." Alice abruptly closed her mouth and covered it with her hands.

"It's alright." Mark laughed, and leaned toward her. "I don't want to know who's helping you. Although, I have a good idea who it might be. I'm just very glad that someone is. I haven't met a compassionate person since I started here. There was only one or two at the other hospital, too."

Alice beamed at him, and Mark was thrilled to see her happy, and apparently well adjusted. He stood up straight and sighed.

"I'm sorry little one, but I have to take you upstairs today." Alice noticed that he seemed very upset by it. "I'll let you get dressed and be back for you in a few minutes." Then he turned and walked to the door, where he turned around again. "And Mary Alice, don't wear anything nice. This is not a social visit." Mark frowned as he closed the door behind him.

Alice understood what he could not say, and tried to prepare herself for the vision attack that was to come. She found an old dress, that was too small, and ran it across the floor, to dirty it up. When Mark returned to collect her, he smiled at her appearance.

"Perfect." He laughed when he saw her.

Alice took his hand, and saw him working with his girls at a table. She thought he might be helping them with homework. She smiled up at him, as they walked up the stairs for her six-month treatment.

"You're to take her to treatment room four," a short, brown haired nurse told him. She had a clipboard and seemed to be crossing things off a list. "And hurry. The doctor is waiting."

Mark walked Alice down a hallway that was different from the other times she had been brought to the ground floor. When they had reached an empty hallway, Alice pulled on Mark's hand, forcing him to stop.

"I've never been here before." She told him, frightened.

"I don't know anything about the treatments here," he told her. "Maybe it's just a room where the doctor talks to you."

Alice followed him, as he approached a door with a black '4' painted on it. He knocked on the door, and waited for a response. In a matter of seconds, a nurse came to the door, and took Alice's hand from Mark. Alice immediately began to scream, as a vision of the woman's house burning, with her children in their beds, filled her mind.

"Wait here to take her back." She ordered him, then pulled Alice into the room.

Mark didn't like the way the nurse pulled on Alice, but there was nothing he could do about it, but let her go. He leaned against the wall, across from the door, and stared at the black '4' on the door. Alice's screams were muffled, but he could still hear them. He gritted his teeth, and closed his eyes, as he worried for the tiny child, knowing there was nothing he could do to help her.

#

Alice was dragged into the room, then picked up by an orderly with large hands that had strangled several women, and placed into an odd looking chair. Before she had passed through the current set of visions, the chair began to slam new visions into her mind. The room began to spin, in her mind, as the visions pelted her with fear and dizziness. The orderly pulled leather straps around her waist, and head. Then, he strapped down her tiny arms and legs. Alice's head was stabilized but her eyes continued to move back and forth, as it they wanted to circle around her head completely.

When she was securely strapped in, the chair began to spin. The spinning became severe, and Alice had to close her eyes. She wanted to scream, but she was afraid she might bite off her tongue, as she had seen in several of the visions associated with the chair. She clamped her teeth closed and began to cry, the tears flowing to the left side of her face, as the chair continued to spin in a clockwise rotation. She noticed the speed of the spin continued to increase, until she was unable to maintain consciousness. It was only then, that the chair finally came to a stop.

When the restraints were removed, Alice slid forward out of the chair, and vomited onto herself and the floor. When the orderly picked her up and carried her to the door, the nurse opened it and Alice was deposited into Mark's arms, as if she were a bag of trash to be disposed of.

"Return her to her cell," she ordered him.

"She's bleeding!" Mark saw blood running slowly, from Alice's nose and ears.

"It's normal after treatment," he was informed. "She'll be fine. Just take her back, and leave her."

Mark gave the nurse a foul look, but said nothing. He turned down the hallway, and almost ran to the basement, with his precious cargo. He laid her small frame out, on her bed, then ran to the sink and soaked a rag in cool water. Alice was trying to wake up, when he returned to her. He knelt at the side of her bed and began to wipe the blood from her nose and ears.

"Oh, baby girl. What did they do to you?" he whispered as he began to clean up the vomit on her face. He removed her dirty dress, and replaced it with the night dress she had been wearing when he woke her. He caressed her cheeks and held her hand, not sure how to comfort her, terrified as to what they had done to her.

Alice's eyes began to flutter open, as she regained consciousness. Mark continued to stroke her limp arm, encouraging her to wake and tell him that she was alright.

"Dizzy," Alice whispered, then she began to cry. "My head hurts," she sobbed. She rolled toward Mark, toward the comfort of his hands, then changed her mind. "I want Thane. Please, I need Thane."

Alice's sobs all but broke Mark's heart. Tears began to fall from his eyes, as he watched her curl into herself and whimper for 'her Thane.' Mark wasn't sure who Thane was, but he had a good idea. He just prayed he was right. He left Alice's cell at a near run, skidded at the door, and ran down the hall to the night attendant's room. He pounded on the door of the room and prayed that the attendant was in.

"Please..." Mark prayed as he beat on the door again. "Please help her." He began to weep for the child he wanted so much to save from the horrors of the place she could not escape.

#

Thane had heard the man talking to his Alice. He had listened as Alice prepared for her trip to the ground floor. He heard the happiness in her voice, at being reunited with an old friend. He heard her leave the cellar, and he waited impatiently for her to return.

Thane heard the man return with his Alice. He smelled her blood and vomit, and his anger began to rise. He heard the whispered words of comfort this man offered his child, and heard him curse those that had hurt her, as he worked at the sink. He heard his Alice call for him, but could not race to her as he wished to. If he was to continue to help her, keep her, he had to maintain his cover, and pretend to be asleep. He had to pretend to be oblivious to the whimpered pleas of his child.

Then the man beat on his door.

Thane counted out three minutes, to feign sleep, then threw his door open to the weeping man.

"Please," Mark stood before him, tall and unafraid except for his concern for Alice. "Are you Thane?"

"Yes," he replied calmly.

"Please help Mary Alice." Mark began to lead the way back to her cell. "They did some sort of treatment on her. They didn't even wait to see what the result was." Mark stopped as they reached her cell door. "She was bleeding from her ears and nose, and she vomited. She says she's still dizzy." Mark stepped aside and allowed Thane to enter first.

Thane walked as quickly as he could, and still appear human, to Alice's bed. He sat next to her and began rubbing her back in gentle circles. The instant his cold hand touched her back, Alice reacted. Still whimpering, she crawled onto Thane's lap and tried to burrow into his chest.

"It's alright Alice," he cooed to her. "I'm here. I'll always be here."

Mark came to stand near them. He took another look around the room, then back down at Thane and Alice.

"She loves you," Mark stated softly. "And you've done a lot for her."

Thane looked up at Mark, anger blazing in his red eyes. Mark saw the red, and thought it was from waking him up so soon after the end of his shift, and dismissed it. The anger, he did not dismiss, but he did understand.

"I don't know what they did to her." Mark tried to explain. "But I will try to keep it from happening again."

Alice reached out to Mark. She grabbed his hand and tried to thank him, still keeping her eyes closed.

"This is my friend, Mark." she told Thane.

The fact that she was able to touch Mark, was not lost on Thane. He realized that this man must be a truly good human, or his Alice would not have reached for him. Some of the anger dissipated as he watched the way Alice held the human man's hand.

"She needs to be protected." Mark told Thane. "It looks like you've been doing a really good job of it." He took a deep breath and stooped down to balance on the balls of his feet, as he tried to get eye level with Alice. "Hey, little one," he tried to coax Alice into looking at him. "I have to go back upstairs, or they'll begin to miss me. I'll try to bring you something for the dizziness, as soon as I can." He stood then and addressed Thane. "I'll try to find out what they did to her, and for as long as I work here, I'll try to keep this from happening again."

Thane gave Mark a curt nod, as the orderly turned to leave the tiny cell, but he stopped at the door and turned back for a moment.

"Let her know I'll be bringing the school books as soon as I can." then he turned and left the cellar.

"School books." Alice's voice was thin and shaky. "Mark's going to bring me school books." She smiled as she shivered and snuggled closer to Thane.

"Yes, my child. School books." He continued to rub circles on her back, as he held her on his lap. "And you will learn about the world. And you will read great literature."

"Can I learn fashions from around the world?"

Thane chuckled. "You can learn anything you want, my child. Anything."

"Can I watch you feed, for my birthday?"

Thane sighed and pulled Alice closer to his chest.

"Perhaps, my child. We shall see."

"Thank you, Thane."

Thane held Alice, for over an hour, after she had fallen asleep. Finally, he laid her in her bed, and tucked her in tightly. He stood over her for another hour, long after Mark had brought her something to help settle her stomach for after she woke. When he finally returned to his room, he continued to listen for any sounds of distress from her, but her sleep was undisturbed. Thane noticed that Mark was as good as his word, and Alice's file had been slipped under his door, later in the afternoon. Thane examined the file and discovered that Alice had been subjected to something called the Cox chair.

Later that night, as the hospital slept, Thane made his way soundlessly, to the hospital offices, and researched the treatment that Alice had received. Then, her found the offending chair, and disabled it. It took all of his control to keep from ripping the repulsive object from the floor, and throwing it through a wall. But, he did refrain from the use of violence, and settled for preventing the chair from functioning. He smiled at his nights work, and returned to his cellar to care for Alice. He knew that they would eventually repair the chair, that spun it's victims with centrifugal force. But for now, no one would be hurt by it. For now, his Alice was safe.

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><p><strong>Happy Thanksgiving!<strong>


	16. Chapter 16

****Disclaimer:****** All ****publicly**** recognizable ****characters, ****settings, ****etc. ****are ****the ****property ****of ****their**** respective ****owners.**** The ****original ****characters ****and**** plot ****are**** the ****property ****of ****the ****author. ****The ****author ****is ****in ****no ****way**** associated ****with ****the ****owners, ****creators, ****or ****producers ****of ****any ****media ****franchise. ****No ****copyright**** infringement ****is ****intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her Twilight Saga series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16<strong>

**Dance Steps**

"She's fifteen," Mark piped at Thane. "It's long over-due. I can group her in with my girls. Say she's a cousin from out of state. No one will know."

"She's never been outside," Thane hissed at Mark. "It would be too much for her. She is a delicate flower. The stimulation could be disastrous. Too many people. Too much risk. I will not have her frightened, or injured." Thane faced off the orderly in his room. He had closed the heavy door, to prevent Alice from hearing the discussion. Thane was due on duty in an hour, so Alice was still asleep. He could hear her slow, steady breaths, that indicated the depth of her sleep.

"It's a dance, Thane. A chance for her to dress up, and show off. You know she would want to go." Mark pleaded with Thane. "At least give her the chance to decide for herself. She's old enough to begin making some decisions about her life."

"You know she will want to go. But others will touch her. What if she has an episode? A vision overload, as you two have begun calling them. What will you do then? With her? With your own girls there?"

"My wife will be there, as well. If Alice has any problems, at all, I will bring her right back here." Mark took a deep breath, and worked to calm his voice. "I know you care for her, but she is growing up. She needs to see something of the world."

"Why?" Thane did not understand Mark's point of view. "They will never let her leave here. She has not been a part of your world, since she was almost four years old. Why does she need to start now? Why would she want to? Your world has no place for her."

Mark sighed and lowered his head, looking at the floor. "I understand that. I hate it, but I understand it." He looked at Thane's red eyes again, an anomaly he had gotten use to. "I just want so much more for her. She's such a joy, such a treasure. I just want her to have some fun."

Thane said nothing for several minutes. In fact, he had been quiet for so long Mark was getting ready to turn and leave the room, before he finally spoke.

"Say nothing to her concerning this. I will think on it." Thane told him.

Mark's smile spread across his face as he nodded, then turned and left the room. Thane shook his head slowly, as the door to his room closed behind Mark. During the five years the human had worked at the hospital, he and Thane had become closer, due to their mutual love for Alice. Between the two of them, Alice wanted for nothing. Mark had even started bringing newspapers and magazines in for Alice, to introduce her to current events in national politics, local issues, and life on the surface of the world in general. Alice had become a knowledge sponge. She simply devoured any and all information she was presented with, but her favorite was still fashion.

Thane never understood how a child that never saw anyone, but Mark and himself, could possibly be so concerned about her appearance. But she was. Every new dress was an opportunity to dance and show off for the two men in her life. Alice reveled in the attention lavished on her, but she was never catty or wicked. She was just very happy with her life. This was all part of the reason Thane resisted telling Alice about the dance that Mark wanted to take her to. He was worried that she would become discontent with her life with him. And, although he refused to consider or even acknowledge the fact, he was terrified of losing her. A part of him realized that she was a human child, and she would grow into a human adult, but he still saw her as _his__child_.

Thane was sitting in his reading chair, still deep in thought, when Alice woke and crept to his room.

"Surprise," she bounded to his lap and hugged him around the neck.

"You are getting too old for these games," Thane chastised her, getting up from the chair and setting Alice on her feet.

"So you keep telling me." Alice laughed, as she swiped the apple from his reading table. She took a bite from the apple, then plopped into his wing-backed reading chair. "Good morning Thane," she smiled at him, as she chewed.

"What have I told you about talking with your mouth full?" he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Not to," she laughed as she swallowed.

Thane sighed and shook his head. "You're almost due for another six-month check." He took her file from a small pile, and looked through it. "We need to come up with a reason for you to avoid that chair, again."

"You've disabled it, twice," Alice chuckled, "I've had the flu, a head cold twice, a broken arm and a broken leg, both of which hurt." She gave Thane a wicked look. "Pneumonia, and chicken pox." She thought hard for a while. "I'm out of ideas." She looked at Thane.

He sighed deeply. "You could try to touch every one on your way through to the treatment room, and have a vision over-load?"

"It's better than that chair." Alice agreed. "I'll tell Mark when he comes for me."

Thane smiled down on her, and felt that familiar, but peculiar warmth, when she smiled back at him. Suddenly he frowned. Alice instantly jumped out of the chair.

"Is someone coming?"

"No. Nothing like that." Thane took a step toward her, and indicated for her to sit back down. He clasped his hands behind his back, and began to pace the small room. Then, suddenly remembering, he left the room, saying, "I've forgotten your breakfast." He returned shortly with a tray laden with fried chicken, potato salad, cold milk, and orange Jell-o. He set the tray on his reading table, and indicated for Alice to go ahead and eat.

"Thane?" Alice looked at him expectantly, as she very neatly began to eat her breakfast.

"Hmmm?" he raised his head, his hands, once again, clasped behind his back.

"What's wrong?" Alice asked sweetly.

"Nothing, child. Nothing." He continued to pace.

"Thane?"

"Hmmm?" His eyes lifted, but not his head.

"Thane!" Alice became insistent.

"What is it, child?" Thane became impatient.

"Exactly my question. What is wrong? You're worrying me."

"Oh," and he went back to pacing.

"Thane!" Alice called sharply. "Tell me what is wrong, or I'm going to go find Mark and have him find out for me."

"What, child?" Thane stopped pacing and stared at Alice.

"Tell me what is wrong, please." Alice was pleading with him.

Thane took a deep breath and moved to the other chair in his room. He sat down and looked at Alice, then got a peculiar look on his face and motioned for her to get out of his chair. The two quickly switched chairs, Alice laughing all the while. She moved her tray to the bedside table, and continued to eat her breakfast, as she waited for him to talk. Thane made himself comfortable, with his right ankle over the top of his left knee. When they were both settled, he looked up at Alice and floundered on where to begin.

"Mark and I...We were talking...He suggested...It has been years..." the thoughts shifted so swiftly through his mind, he finally gave up and simply looked in her general direction.

"Thane," Alice started.

"Yes, Alice." He looked down into his lap, his arms outstretched on the arms of the chair, with his fingers, claw-like, gripping the ends.

"You and Mark were talking about something for me?"

"Yes."

"You are not happy with whatever it is he talked to you about?"

"Yes."

"Why are you not happy about it?"

"It is dangerous for you." Thane looked at her, pleading for her to understand.

"It must have something to do with being around people." Alice thought out loud. She looked back at Thane. "It is some sort of event on the surface?"

The look of horror in his eyes was all she needed to confirm her suspicions.

"What sort of event is it?"

Thane looked to the wall to his right.

"Don't avoid me, Thane. What sort of event is it?"

He looked at his left hand, as he used his thumbnail to clean his other fingernails, as he mumbled his answer. "It'sadébutanteball."

"You wanna try that again?"

"I don't "wanna" try anything." Thane glared at her.

"Would you care to try that one more time? Perhaps slower?" Alice purred to him.

He took a deep breath, sat up straight and looked her in the eyes.

"It is a Débutante Ball." He finally spit out the words.

Alice launched herself out of her chair, and onto his lap, squealing with joy.

"A Ball?" she squealed. "Me? At a Ball?" Her arms were squeezing Thane's neck tightly. Suddenly her arms began to relax. "Me," she whispered, the joy gone from her voice. "At a Ball." Alice swallowed hard. "With all those girls, and parents...and boys, and people." Thane pulled Alice onto his lap, holding her head to rest on his shoulder. "All those people." And he felt the tears begin to fall to his shirt.

"Hush, my child." He tried to comfort her, as best he could. "Perhaps we can find a way?"

"I don't even know how to dance," Alice told Thane.

"Yes. I have been lacking in some phases of your education, but it is nothing we can not remedy. Mark has knowledge in this area. He has taught his girls. And they will be there, as well. Hush, my child, and eat. There is plenty of time to consider all these things, and to develop plans to cover all contingencies. As for now, you have not finished your meal."

Alice returned to her tray. She picked it up, and headed toward the door to Thane's room.

"I'll finish this in my room," she whispered to Thane. "I want to be alone for a while."

Thane watched her leave his room, his heart breaking at the sound of her voice. He listened as she entered her cell, slid her tray onto her desk, then collapsed on her bed, quietly sobbing. He sat and only listened. He did not understand how to comfort her. He never had grasped the concept of comfort. Eventually Thane had to leave his room, but he listened for her, throughout the evening. He made his feeding rounds, then completed any chores set for him, for the night. They had placed number three in the chair, earlier in the day. His cell would need cleaning, as well as his clothes and his body.

When Thane had completed his tasks, he stood outside Alice's cell door, and listened for her to call to him. He didn't have to wait long. He stood waiting for 12 minutes and 27 seconds, before he heard his name whispered by Alice. When he did, he was instantly at her side. He pulled Alice from the bed, her long black hair falling all around her face, as she curled into his chest.

"Do you think I would be able to go?" she sniffled as she asked.

"We can try, my child. We can plan for as many possibilities as there may be."

"I would like to go to a real Ball. But I don't have the proper clothes for it. I've seen the magazines. Those dresses are very expensive." Her sniffles continued.

"Fear not, child. If you wish to do this, then I shall find a way to provide everything necessary for your evening out." He smiled at her, as she looked up into his bright red eyes.

"You do too much for me," Alice palmed one of his cheeks, while kissing the other. She laid her head in the crook of his neck, and let the sobs and sniffles fade. "I love you, Thane." she whispered.

"Well," he placed her back on the bed, and stood in front of her. "Time to get back to work. Did you finish your homework?"

"Yes." Alice chimed, and they began the day's school work.

#

Alice had worked day and night, to learn the needed dance steps. Mark had promised to dance with her, often, so she would not have to tempt fate by touching others. They also hoped that the arm length gloves, that she would be wearing, would prevent some of her visions, but there was no way to test it to be certain because she no longer had visions with Thane or Mark.

"Why do you think I stopped having visions of you and Mark?" Alice asked, as Thane did the final measurements for her dress.

"I don't know, my child. Perhaps there is nothing in our near future, that will be of significant change to warrant a vision. Now, lift your arms, and hold them straight out."

"That tickles," Alice giggled and wiggled as the tape measure was held under her armpit, then moved down her side.

"Hold still, child." Thane chastised her. "The Ball is tomorrow night. If you want your dress to fit properly, I must finish with these measurements."

"Thane?"

"Yes child."

"Will I be as pretty as the other girls?"

Thane stopped dead. His head slowly turned toward Alice, and his eyes bored into hers.

"No." he said in his most deathly serious tone. "Your beauty shall far exceed all others at this event. For there is no girl child as loving, intelligent, and poised as you." He stood, to look down at her. "Your hair is as black as night, and as long as you are tall. I have studied the styles and fashions of the times, and shall prepare it for this event, up on your head, and around your shoulders, with pins and flowers. Your complexion is a rarity in it's perfection, as it is unblemished and the color of fine oriental alabaster. I have sought out the most adept dressmaker, and have ordered only the finest of materials for your dress. Your shoes are the latest fashion. Something called a Bar shoe, made of white leather, with a delicate strap and small silver buckle. The heel, a simple two inches, is a small half inch more than the boots you now wear."

Thane took a step back to admire Alice. "You shall be a vision in white. As lovely as a dove on a winter branch."

Alice gave him a hug, then stood still, with a broad smile across her face. She could withstand anything, to hear her Thane talk like that. He was just finishing the measuring, when Mark made an appearance.

"They want her upstairs," he told them from Alice's cell door. "Another treatment." A look of disgust plain on his face.

Alice quickly changed into an old dress, that was too small and very dirty, that she kept for these events. She messed her hair, and dirtied her face. Mark took her hand and led her up the stairs, and sat her into a wheelchair. Remembering the plan, he pushed her through the most heavily populated parts of the hospital, giving Alice the greatest chance at a vision overload. As she passed the other patients and staff, she reached out and touched everyone she could.

The visions came fast and hard. Alice screamed and writhed, as Mark pushed her toward treatment room four. She was nearing convulsions by the time Mark knocked at the door with the big black '4' painted on it.

"What happened to her?" the treatment nurse demanded to know.

"The halls aren't exactly empty on the way here." Mark looked helpless, as he feared the plan would fail.

"God, she's tiny. File says she's 15?" She continued to examine Alice's file, as she considered the screaming child. "I can't do this." She gave them an absentminded wave and turned back to the room. "Take her back to her cell, and bring in the next one."

"Yes, ma'am," Mark tried to look indifferent, as he turned the chair around and took Alice back to the cellar. This time, he used the emptier hallways.

By the time Alice was back in her own bed, the visions had nearly stopped. Mark was smiling down at her, when she came out of her vision overload. She took several deep breaths, as she cleared her mind of the unwanted visuals that had incapacitated her.

"Better?" Mark asked.

"Yes. Much." Alice still had her eyes closed, as Thane entered the room.

"It worked," Mark turned to look over his shoulder, at the pale night attendant.

"She should rest. It is long past her bed time." Thane motioned for Mark to follow him out of the cell.

Alice curled up into a Ball, and pulled the sheet up over her. She saw thane pass Mark the paper with her final measurements, just before her eyes became too heavy to hold open any longer. She smiled as she fell into a deep sleep, dreaming about the next night's dance.

#

"Hold still, child!" Thane admonished Alice, as she bounced from foot to foot.

He worked her long straight hair into a swirling bun, high on the back of her head. He was attempting to create banana curls along the sides, so they fell in front of her ears. He had found a large silver and mother of pearl comb, to help hold her hair in place. Baby's breath was weaved throughout her hair, the tiny white flowers nestled into the black terrain.

"Done," Thane told her. "Time to stand on the bed."

Alice jumped up on her bed, in her underdress, while Thane placed her dress carefully over her head. The white lace gown teemed with mother of pearl sequins, in a design of swirling fern frond bands. They were placed diagonally, to create a feel of motion even when she was standing still. Alice drew in a deep breath, and tried not to let any tears fall, as she felt the dress fall over her slight frame. The pearl beading of the bodice insert, and fringe on the neckline and short sleeves, created a tinkling sound at her slightest move. Her white silk underdress stopped at her feet, but the lace and beading continued to the small train of the gown.

Thane stood back from Alice, and looked at her, with a critical eye.

"Well?" Alice's anxiety level rising.

"Hmmm," Thane hummed as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Thane!" Alice tried to stomp her foot on the bed.

"Incredibly beautiful," he smiled at her, finally.

"My God!" Mark whispered from her cell door.

Alice looked up to see him standing in the doorway, stunned.

"Is this truly the child that no one wanted? It can't be," he teased Alice. "Who would not want to claim such a ravishing beauty." He walked quickly to the bed, and Alice leapt into his arms.

"Be careful of the dress, and your hair, child." Thane warned her, as Mark stood her back on the bed.

"I'm ready to leave." Mark told Thane.

"I have arranged for a car to pick you both up, in about—ten minutes." Thane told Mark. "The car and driver will be at your disposal for the entire evening. Even if Alice must return early, you and your family may enjoy the comfort of the car, for the rest of the evening."

"On behalf of me and my family, I think you for your generosity. It is a wonderful thing you have done for Alice."

"You should leave now," Thane nodded to Mark.

"Will you carry me out?" Alice asked Thane. They had all decided that Alice would be carried while in the cellar. Thane did not want her shoes or dress ruined by the dirt floor of the home he shared with Alice.

Thane plucked Alice off the bed, and carried her to the cellar's outside door.

"Remember to watch your eyes," Thane warned her. "You have been practicing, looking out into the brightness of day, but it will be much brighter with the sun on your face. Do not look directly into the sun."

"I remember, Thane," Alice admonished him. Her arms were wrapped tight around his neck,

"Are you frightened?" He whispered into her ear.

Alice nodded. "But I want to go anyway," she whispered back.

"Then enjoy the Ball, my dear child," and he reached into the car, that was pulled into the shadow of the building, and deposited Alice on the large leather seat.

Alice hung on to his, as he tried to pull himself back out of the car. She made him look her in the eye, before he could leave her.

"I love you, Thane. With all my heart." Alice then kissed both his cheeks and his nose, before smiling and letting his go.

"Wait one moment," Thane told Mark, as he turned to him. He disappeared into the cellar, but returned in the space of a few heart beats, with a fur stole for Alice. He handed it to Mark. "I purchased this for her, yesterday. It is an ermine stole. It should be sufficient for this evening. The weather should remain warm."

Mark nodded, as he accepted the stole for Alice. He was unable to hide his shock. "Why do you work here?" He finally had to ask Thane. "You obviously don't need the money. Why?"

"We all have our reasons for the things we feel we need to do. Now go. Keep a close watch on my child."

Thane watched as Mark wrapped the fur stole around Alice's shoulders, as the car pulled away. He waved, as Alice looked back, a broad smile across her face, as she waved good-bye to him. He stood in the shadow of the door, for a long time, after the car had driven out of sight. He wondered at the feelings that had surfaced the moment the car door had closed, and he had become separated from his Alice.

"Hmmm," he hummed to himself. "A Ball." He lowered his head, looked at the floor, as he returned to his room. He had agreed to work part of Mark's shift, so he could escort his family to the Ball. He began his trek up to the ground floor, to retrieve dinner, for the other members of his domain. He would feed them, and they would feed him, then he would sit in his room and wait for his Alice to return home. "Well, hmmm."

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><p><strong>I've been having some problems with my tremors, again, so the next chapter may be a bit late.<strong>

**Sorry about that. It seems to happen more, when I get my blood sugar under control.**

**Go figure!**

**Anywho! Please review!**


	17. Chapter 17

****Disclaimer:****** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her Twilight Saga series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

_** A/N: I'm sorry this took so long, and it my be a while for chapter 18 as well. I'll try to give a more detailed explanation at the end of this chapter.**_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 17<strong>

**Dangerous Dancing**

Thane's idea of a car, was not what Alice expected. She had seen pictures, in the magazines that Mark had brought her, but this car was larger than she expected. There was the usual back seat, but also a full seat facing the usual back seat. She found out from Mark, that the car was called a Packard Twin Six Limousine. Alice didn't care what it was called. It was her very first car ride, and she was fascinated by the world outside, and the speed of the vehicle.

"How fast will it go?" she asked the driver, while bouncing on the soft leather seat.

"This is a very fast car, Little Miss" the driver chuckled. "It can go as fast as 75 miles an hour."

"Wow," Alice breathed, as she sat back in her seat. She began to wonder if Thane could run faster than the car. She decided no. Thane was fast, but probably not that fast. Then, she began to wonder what 75mph would feel like, and giggled to herself at the silliness of the thought.

It was a short trip to Mark's home. Her face was glued to the window the entire trip. She was excited to see anything, and everything. When they arrived, Alice stepped out into the light of day, and had to shield her eyes from the brilliance of the sun. Mark ran to her, wanting to shield her from the brightness that was so different from the world of the cellar. Alice waved him back, as she closed her eyes, and turned her face up to feel the sun on her face, too see the brightness through her closed eyelids. She smiled at the warmth, then laughed at the freedom of it all. She had the train loop, for her dress, around her hand, as she threw her arms straight out to her sides, and walked in a circle. She enjoying the feel of the air, as it passed through her dress to her silk underdress. The silk brushed against her legs and body, and felt cool on her skin.

Alice lowered her head before opening her eyes, then took Mark's hand, as he led her up to the house. She would sit with his family while he cleaned up and dressed for the Ball. Alice didn't know what it was to be nervous, and her excitement overrode all other emotions, as she rushed to meet these new people. Mark's wife was first; she was waiting at the door for them. She greeted him with a kiss and short embrace. Alice watched how Mark was received, so, when she was introduced to his wife, Alice attempted to emulate his greeting. She was far too short to kiss the woman, but she did embrace her. With great enthusiasm.

"Alice," Mark started, "this is my wife, Helen."

Alice raced up the three steps to the door, and grabbed the tall woman around the waist, hugging her tightly.

"I'm so happy to meet you," Alice beamed up at her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, as well." Helen grinned down at Alice, as her arms encircled the small teen.

Mark touched Alice's arm, and she pulled her arms from around his wife, and looked at Mark, curiosity burning in her eyes.

"When meeting someone for the first time, it is appropriate to shake their hand, or curtsy." Mark smiled at Alice. "Men will shake hands with another man. Women will curtsy, or offer their hand to be kissed by a gentleman. Helen will show you while I get changed." He placed his hand on Alice's shoulder, and gained her full attention. "Is that alright with you, Alice?"

Alice nodded, with a smile. "I'll learn everything I can," she told him, as Helen ushered her into the dining room where their two girls were waiting to leave for the Ball.

"Alice," Helen addressed her, "this is Margret," the tall blond girl curtsied, "and Dorothy," the girl with the light brown hair curtsied next to her sister.

Alice was glad to see that they both smiled warmly at her. Her own smile spread across her face, as she tried to mimic their feminine bow. She frowned as she began to lose her balance, but Helen rescued her, from falling, and completely embarrassing herself.

"Let me show you," Helen offered. "Watch my feet," she told Alice.

She lifted her skirt, so her legs were visible from the knees down.

"Just place one foot behind the other, and bend the knees slightly."

Alice was amazed at the grace she saw in the simple movement. She placed her left foot behind her right, and slowly bent her knees.

"How far do I bend them?" Alice asked, looking up as Helen.

"Just a bit," Helen told her, smiling. "And only for a short time. Margret? Please."

Helen waved her hand, indicating that she wanted Alice to watch the girl.

Alice watched as Margret demonstrated how to curtsy, and how long to hold the bow. In no time at all, Alice had perfected the move. Helen stood back and observed Alice. She commented on her grace, and smiled as she began to bond with her girls. Alice listened to Margret and Dorothy, as they explained, and demonstrated, many of the required greetings, and behaviors that she may be required to perform, during her night at the Ball. Alice picked up on everything quickly. Helen saw why her husband had called the small teenager a knowledge sponge.

By the time Mark had returned to his wife's side, the three girls were laughing together, as if they had been friends their entire lives. He stood at Helen's side, and grinned at the three girls.

"She's such a tiny thing," Helen whispered to Mark. "Are you sure she's fifteen?"

"Yes," Mark told her. "The night attendant has cared for her since she was about four. He's done a miraculous job of it, too. She must have had a small mother, or father. She doesn't remember. Only that her mother died when she was a baby. If she knows anything about her father, she's not telling anyone. She gets upset at the mention of him."

Dorothy noticed her father, just as Mark finished whispering to Helen.

"Father," she raced to Mark and hugged him, while reaching onto her toes to kiss his cheek. Margret was right behind her. When they had finished greeting him, Alice stepped forward and gracefully curtsied to him.

"Good evening, sir," she formally addressed him.

"It is a pleasure," Mark smiled and bowed low to her. He stood tall and addressed all four of the women surrounding him. "May I escort you ladies to the Ball?"

All four women curtsied to him, and nodded. Mark took Margret and Dorothy, one on each side, and headed for the front door. Helen took Alice's arm and followed behind them.

"I'll give you a few more pointers in the car," Helen whispered in Alice's ear. "But you will have nothing to worry about, sweet Alice. You are beautiful, and will, in all likelihood, be the Belle of this Ball. But, I just want you to relax, and try to enjoy yourself."

Mark helped them all into the car, then joined them. The driver closed the back door, then rushed around the car to slide into the drivers seat. Alice had taken a window seat, so she could, again, watch the world fly by, as the car sped toward the house where the Ball was being held. Alice listened to Helen, as she gave her a crash course in Débutante Ball etiquette. Alice absorbed everything she could, and even managed to retain most of it, as the car pulled into the line of other cars and carriages, in front of the large white house. Alice noticed the brightly lit front of the huge house. The white painted front was lit by large floodlights along the upper balcony, as well as large lights on each side of the immense double front doors, and more floodlights hidden in the shrubbery along the front of the house.

When the car reached the front of the house, the driver opened the back door, and he and Mark assisted the four ladies from the car. As the car pulled away, Alice stopped and took a deep breath. She was very excited, and knew she needed to calm herself. She looked up to the lights on balcony, and the almost flat roof of the mansion. Fear started to overcome her, but she bit it back and faced the front doors. Two men, in odd costume, stood on either side of the open doors. Inside, Alice could see people. The girls were dressed in white, the mothers in an assortment of colors ranging from pastels to bright reds, royal blues, and hunter greens. The men and boys all seemed to be dressed in Black tuxedos. They were in various styles, but Alice thought they all looked about the same.

As she began to concentrate on the women's fashions, her fear began to subside. She took another deep breath, and began to study the dress and the figure it contained. She began to notice skin and hair coloring, when determining whether the color and style of the dress, was the best match for the woman, or girl wearing it. Before long, she was smiling, and ready to walk through the beckoning doorway. Alice looked around her, to find Helen and the girls were gone. Only Mark remained.

"I'm so sorry," Alice looked up at him.

"It's alright, Alice," Mark said softly. "Helen and the girls understand that there have been many firsts for you, today. They went on ahead, so you and I could take our time." He gave a small chuckle. "Helen seems to think you will make a grand entrance, if you enter without them. At least, she hopes so." He tilted his head slightly, as he studies her. "Are you ready, Miss Alice Brandon?"

"Hm," Alice hummed shortly. "Yes, I think I am, kind Sir."

She smiled at Mark, and took his offered arm. With her other hand, she dropped the loop to her skirt, and allowed the short train to flow along behind her. She held to Mark's arm, lightly, with both hands, as they ascended the front steps. As they passed through the doorway into the foyer, she allowed one hand to drop from his arm, and let it fall loosely at her side. She straightened her back, and took another breath, as her wrap was taken by Mark, and handed to a porter. They joined the short line, to greet the host and hostess, and too be introduced to the congregated débutantes and other guests.

Alice was oblivious to anything said, as Mark introduced her through the greeting line. Her eyes flickered around the huge ballroom, and it's considerable number of occupants. They were formally announced, and Alice held Mark's arm tightly, as all eyes turned toward her. She held her grip, as they stepped down the few steps to the floor of the ballroom. Alice had never felt so small, as most of the guests towered above her, but she refused to be daunted by it. Tonight was her night to shine, and shine she did. Alice smiled beautifully, as Mark led her to join the rest of his family. On their way through the milling crowd, as Mark weaved her through without touching anyone, she heard rude snippets of conversation concerning her friend, and his family.

By the time they had reached Helen and the girls, Alice was able to piece together a simple story of love and money, regarding her friend. They seated themselves at a table, Alice between Mark and Helen. As the music began, Alice leaned toward Mark to ask him about what she had heard.

"I understand it's rude, but the things the people were saying?" She was at a loss, as to how to continue. How to ask her question.

"It's alright, Alice. People will always find something to talk about. Especially at functions like this. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. But for tonight, you are to ignore all the rudeness of people, and have fun," Mark told her

His smile showed his teeth, something Alice was not use to. As she looked around, she noticed that almost everyone showed their teeth when they smiled, whether they meant the smile or not. It only took her a moment to realize what the problem was, about the toothy grins. Thane never showed his teeth. She smiled to herself, without showing teeth, as the realization of one of the differences between Thane and humans, suddenly dawned on her. Thane's teeth were dangerous. Human teeth were not. Alice sat up in her chair, with a smug smile. She would have to talk to Thane about this, when she got home.

Helen leaned toward Alice, to speak quietly to her.

"Alice, Mark has told me that you are wise beyond your mere 15 years." Alice glanced her way. "It's alright to keep watching the floor, while I talk to you." Alice heard the grin in her voice, as she continued to watch the guests enjoyed their refreshments, and chat with their table companions, and friends. "I just wanted you to know that, despite what you may hear tonight, my husband is a very compassionate man. It is his need to help people that drives him to work at that hospital. Not a need for money. People believe that it is my money that allows us to keep our place in society, but it is his. His family money. They will talk," Helen waved a small gesture toward the other guests, "but we know better, and refuse to allow them to dictate our lives. Our girls will miss nothing, due to their petty-mindedness." Helen sat back in her chair, with a lop-sided grin.

Alice looked at her, then Mark. She saw how Margaret and Dorothy seemed oblivious to the snide comments, and seemed to just enjoy their own company. Alice reached out and touched Dorothy's hand. She saw a brief glimpse of a happy future, with a handsome husband. Then she touched Margaret's hand, and saw a life more filled with struggle and hard work, but that she was still happy with herself, and her life. Alice saw that nothing that was said, by the herd of the privileged she saw in front of her, would influence anything in the lives of her two new friends, and she was content. She smiled as she ate the small meal set before her, and relaxed as the dancing started.

Mark had seen Alice touch his daughters. He saw the smile that spread across her face, and was curious as to what she saw. A part of him wanted to ask her, what the future had in store for his girls, but another part remembered the smile, and knew it would be alright, and wanted to just let it all unfold. The latter part eventually won out, and Mark relaxed into his chair, and watched the dinner conclude, and the dancing begin.

"She's a little young to be here, isn't she?" Alice's head turned at the sound of the tall boy's voice. "I mean, I thought 15 was the lower limit for attendance to these Balls."

"Hello Mathew," Dorothy addressed the red haired boy. "Her name is Alice, and she is 15. She is also a friend, so I would appreciate it, if you would not speak as if she were not here." She turned to Alice and smiled. "Sorry, Alice. This is Mathew Anderson. He's a sometimes rude friend of mine." Dorothy chuckled, as she turned back to the embarrassed boy.

"I'm sorry, Alice. I do sometimes forget my manners." Mathew looked at his shoes, as his face turned a brilliant shade of red, close to the color of his own hair.

"It's alright," Alice smiled at him. "I'm very small, for my age." She gave out a deep sigh. "Just something I've had to deal with, all my life." She giggled to show that she was only kidding. "You and Dorothy should go dance," Alice told them. "There's no reason for everyone to sit around her and babysit me. Go." Alice gave Dorothy a small shove and laughed with her, as she took Mathew's hand.

"We'll be back," Mathew nodded to everyone at the table, as Dorothy gave her mother a kiss on the cheek.

Before long, Margret's beau arrived, and Alice was shoving her onto the dance floor. Mark found himself guided by Alice's impressions of the boys that approached his daughters. It wasn't something he intended to do, it just sort of happened, as he saw her touch each one, then push one of his girls toward a particular boy. He watched as some of the older boys caused Alice to shy away completely, almost into a cower from them. He danced with her, and helped her enjoy the evening, as she reveled in the company of some, while avoiding the company of others.

"Mr. and Mrs. Compton. It is indeed a pleasure to see you tonight." The evening was getting late, and the lights had gone down a bit, but Alice still recognized something about this odd, smooth-talking young man. "May I have a dance with this beautiful young lady you have brought with you tonight?" he pushed his dark glasses up on his nose, and leered at Alice.

Mark watched as Alice cowered in her chair, as she appeared to attempt to shrink away from the odd man requesting a dance with her.

"I'm sorry," Mark told him. "It appears she has had enough party, for one night. I was just going to give her one more turn, then escort her to her home," he smiled at Alice, then offered her hand his her. As he walked behind the table, he whispered in his wife's ear, then took Alice to the dance floor.

"Are you all right?" he asked Alice.

"He's a bad one." Alice told him. "I don't want to touch him. Too many deaths." she answered with a shiver.

"I'm going to take you home, now." Mark told Alice. "The party will be breaking up soon, and I would like my wife and daughters in the company of others, while I'm gone."

"I understand," Alice told him, as they both peered at the odd young man, that had caused Alice to shiver, again

Mark escorted Alice to the front doors, then waited for their car. He told the driver to hurry, as they saw the man in the dark glasses attempt to make his way to the front doors. Mark was glad when he saw him pulled from his trajectory, by another patron of the party, just as the car pulled away. The car drove quickly to the hospital, and to the back door. Thane was waiting there for Alice. She quickly flew into his arms while Mark leaned out the door.

"I'll be back to tell you about it, but for now, I want to get my family home," and he closed the door, and the car drove off.

Alice shivered in Thane's arms, as he carried her, bridal style, to her cell. He felt her shiver, as she pushed her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer to him.

"Tell me." Thane ordered her.

"He had on dark glasses, but I knew," Alice mumbled into his neck. "He had eyes like you, Thane." Alice shivered strongly. "But he was a bad one."

"It's alright now, Little one." Thane set her on her bed. "You're home now. Mark did the right thing. This other will not harm you." Thane smiled at Alice, to reassure her. He watched as she slowly lifted her pale face to him.

"You don't understand, Thane," she whispered to him. "I've seen him before. In my dreams." She suddenly launched herself at Thane, grabbing him around the neck, and holding on to him for dear life. "He wants me, Thane. And he wants to kill you."

* * *

><p><strong>Well, it took a while, but I finally got it here. RL is kicking me around a lot, this last couple months. My husband needs surgery, my son needs surgery. I may lose the only vehicle we have, between me and my daughter's household. And I'm so stressed that my tremors are worse, making it very difficult to types. And the hits just keep on coming! But I will continue to try. I'll begin work on chapter 18 shortly, but it will be late. I am sorry, but I'll do my best to keep the wait as short as possible.<strong>

**In the meantime,  
><strong>

**Please review!**


	18. Chapter 18

****Disclaimer: ******All ****publicly**** recognizable**** characters, ****settings, ****etc. ****are ****the ****property ****of ****the ir****respective ****owners. ****The ****original ****characters ****and ****plot ****are**** the ****property ****of ****the ****author. ****The ****author ****is ****in ****no ****way**** associated ****with ****the ****owners, ****creators, ****or ****producers ****of ****any**** media ****franchise. ****No ****copyright ****infringement ****is ****intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her TwilightSaga series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 18<strong>

**Rushed Hidings**

By the time Mark returned to the cellar, Alice had changed into bed clothes, and was waiting for him in the center of her bed. She launched herself at him the moment he appeared at her doorway, and commanded him into her cell.

"Thane is seeing to the others," Alice told him. Mark sat on her desk chair, as Alice crawled back to the middle of her bed. "You promised to tell me," she started.

"You never forget anything, do you?" Mark chuckled. Alice shook her head, with a wide grin. "Very well. My story is quite simple. My grandfather fought in the Civil War. He was very young when he ran off to join in the fighting. When he returned, he was badly injured, but recovered, and still lived a very long life. He struggled with his family life, but prospered in business. When it was time, he was placed in a home, by my father." Mark's voice cracked, as he thought about his father, and the home where his grandfather was placed. "The home looked like a good place. It was dedicated to Civil War soldiers, and their families. My father believed that he would receive the best of care. He was wrong." Mark took a deep breath, before he continued. "The place was filthy behind the public facade. The staff were completely uncaring, and abusive. My Grandfather died a short few months after entering the home. I vowed, at his graveside, that I would do whatever I could to ease the lives of those in places like this. I don't have to work. My family money is more than sufficient. I choose to work. I want to ease the lives of others."

Alice bounced off the bed and wrapped her arms around Mark's neck.

"And you do," she whispered in his ear. "You have made my life so much easier. So much better."

"I wish I could take you from this place," Mark hugged Alice, "but it simply isn't possible. If it were, I would welcome you into my home, as my youngest daughter."

"Thank you." Alice hugged him tighter, as a tear slipped down her cheek.

"Hmmm," came the sound from the door.

Alice giggled, released Mark, and skipped over to Thane.

"All done?" she looked up into his bright red eyes, smiling.

"We shall speak later, Little One." He rested his palm on the crown of her head for a moment, before turning to Mark. "I believe we needed to speak." Thane then turned from the room, and returned to his quarters. Mark said his goodnight to Alice, and followed Thane.

Thane closed the heavy metal door to his quarters, and offered Mark the chair near the door, before taking his usual seat in the wing-backed chair across the room.

"Things went well?" Thane began the conversation.

"Amazingly well." Mark smiled. "Alice was a vision. My family took to her immediately, as I knew they would. Alice picked-up the social conventions as if she were born to them. No one had the slightest idea that she had not lived in high society, all her life. I will get more information from my wife when I return home and speak to her in-depth. And my girls are very taken with her. They wish for her to visit again, and not for a party."

"Did she seem to take to any of the young men present?" Thane's fingers were laced together, with his forefingers templed, and his chin resting on the finger tips. His red eyes cast down, away from curious prying eyes.

"I believe she has indicated the husbands for both my girls, but no one for herself. She did dance with two young men, and seemed fine with them, but she did not indicate any lasting attraction to either." Mark paused and looked down.

"What is it?" Thane leaned forward. He heard the change in Mark's heart rate and wanted the reason for the apprehension it indicated.

"Before I brought her home, there was a young man that seemed to...disturb her. I can't explain the feeling I got from this fellow, but I was actually afraid for her." Mark took a breath and leaned back in his chair. "I took her to the dance floor, in an effort to avoid this young man, then whisked her away, and returned her here. I don't believe that he followed her here."

"Can you describe this young man?" Thane asked, thoughtfully.

"Not exceptionally tall, maybe six foot. Light brown hair. He seemed to be a rather well put together. A young man of means, although his clothing was looking a bit worn." Mark looked to the ceiling, as he tried to remember anything else, that might help Thane recognize the boy, should he ever track Alice to her home. "There was nothing that made him stand out. Nothing to distinguish him from a dozen other boys his age. He was rather pale...as if he'd been ill, and only just recently recovered. I'd say he looked to be about 24. Not an unheard of age for a young man at one of these Balls. He also wore colored glasses. That did seem a bit odd. I simply assumed that it had something to do with his recent illness."

"Thank you," Thane stood, and walked to his door. "I will be on the watch, just as a precaution." He opened his door for Mark, who also rose from his chair. "I'm sure your family is anxious for your return."

"Yes, I would like to return home." Mark smiled at Thane. "It has been a busy day. Goodnight, Thane. We'll talk more on my next shift, in three days." Thane nodded, and watched him walk out of the cellar.

The moment Mark was out of the cellar, and the car was pulling away, Thane was in Alice's doorway. He looked across the room at his small charge, still sitting in the middle of her bed, and frowned.

"Tell me," Thane was instantly at Alice's bedside. Alice was calmer, and remained on the bed, as she told Thane about her evening. He watched, as her face lit up when she told him about the sun, and the lights of the house. He heard the awe in her voice, as she described the women's dresses, and the variety of rich colors. He smiled as she explained her feeling, or lack there of, for the boys and young men who chose to circle her, and her new friends. And he frowned, when she described the vampire who had ended her happy evening.

"It was all so beautiful, and wonderful, and exciting," Alice looked up, into Thane's eyes, "but I'm so glad to be home."

"You do not wish to stay in that world?" Alice thought about it, for longer than Thane thought she would.

"No," Alice finally answered. "I feel safe here, with you."

"If it were possible, Mark, and his family would welcome you." Alice looked at her lap, before she answered him.

"I love Mark, and Helen is great. Dorothy and Margret are the best, and wonderful friends. No one could ask for better sisters, but..."

"But, Little One?"

But, I love you Thane. It would break my heart to leave you." Alice looked up at him, tears beginning to fill her eyes. "You are the only father I remember. You are my family. I can't leave you. I won't leave you." Thane reached down for the short 15 year old, and gathered her into his arms, as he sat on the edge of her bed. She clung to him tightly, as if he would disappear from her grasp.

"My dearest Little One, whether you are here, or somewhere else, know that I will always be watching over you. Have no fear in exploring the world above, for I will always be near...protecting you." Alice yawned hugely, so Thane laid her back on her bed, and covered her with a freshly washed blanket. "Sleep, my child," he whispered to her. "You are safe now."

Thane stood over the bed, as still as a statue, and watched Alice as she slept. He waiting for the sound of her deep rhythmic breathing, that indicated that she was in a deep sleep. He then stepped out of the room, and listened to the sounds of his other charges. All was quiet in his domain; nothing could be heard but the sounds of slumbering dreams. So, as all of his charges slept, in the wee hours of the morning, Thane stepped out of the cellar. In centuries past, he had been a tracker, hunting those that had broken the laws of his kind, but he had given it up to live a simpler life. On occasion, he still enjoyed a good hunt, although the killing of his kind had become distasteful. However, if this unknown one had developed a taste for his little Alice, then he would gladly rend the interloper limb from limb, and scorch the earth with the pieces.

Within minutes, he was across town, and had found the site of the ball Alice had attended. Silently, he circled the house searching, examining the scents that surrounded it. He listened intently for any signs of wakefulness in the house before stealthily entering. Once inside, the odors of the party goers became much more concentrated, and it became almost easy for him to distinguish specific individuals.

Thane was able to identify the area where Alice had spent the majority of her evening. By locating the specific area, he then worked on the essences of those that came within range of that area. He managed to identify six individuals that had approached his Alice, and her small group of friends. Of the six, only one had a scent that appeared more natural. The other five were more perfumed and artificial; the scents that indicated humans. Thane's lips curled back, and a subtle growl began to grow in his chest. Securely logging the most natural scent, in his mind, he followed it from the house. Pursuing it outside, in the open, was more difficult, as the morning fog began to diffuse the trail.

Thane was diligent in hunting down the elusive trail, as he worked his way through the city. When he was able to ascertain that the undesirable newcomer had, indeed, headed out of town, away from his and Alice's home, he dropped the trail, and quickly returned to his cellar. Thane retreated to his rooms, as was his habit when the sun was cresting the horizon, his door closing just as the next shift was reporting for work.

#

When Mark returned to work three days later, he spent over an hour explaining his family's thoughts on Alice, and how the evening had progressed.

"Helen just fell in love with her. If it was at all possible, I would take her home with me. Helen has asked about the possibility of adopting her. I told her that, from what I have seen in her records, it would never be possible. But, my entire family agrees, Alice does not belong in this place."

"I have suggested this possibility to Alice." Thane frowned at the thought of Alice leaving his constant care. "She has denied any interest in moving to the world above, but you are free to discuss it with her. I wish for only what is best for her. If she chooses to leave the cellar, I may be able to procure the necessary documents to assist her...and you, in achieving your goal in adopting her."

"But to get her out of this place? How would we do that, without raising too many alarms? They would know, eventually, should she simply disappear."

"The removal of the dead is a component of my duties. People die in this cellar, all the time. It would be a simple notification and a bit of paperwork. The doctors never check on the dead from down here." Thane gave a small smile, as he considered the bodies that he had the pleasure of disposing of, when those above declared them already dead, but were in fact just barely alive.

Mark smiled broadly, as he rose to leave Thane's quarters. "Then I will speak to her today. Perhaps she will change her mind, and come to live with us." He shook hands with Thane, and left his quarters. "Sleep well, my friend," Mark smiled at Thane, and headed for Alice's cell.

Alice was asleep when Mark brought her breakfast. She was happy to wake to waffles, bacon, eggs, and orange juice. She sat at her desk, while Mark sat on the edge of her bed, while she ate.

"Thane tells me that he talked to you about coming to live with me, and my family?"

"Yes," Alice swallowed before answering.

"Have you thought about it very much?" he asked hopefully.

Alice took a long drink of her orange juice, before she turned to face Mark.

"I have thought about it...a lot," she placed her hands in her lap, and looked down at them. "I'm not sure if I can explain this to you very well, but I love Thane. He has been my only family for a very long time. And, as much as I love you, and Helen, and the girls, I'm just not ready to leave here. I know one day I will be, but I'm not now. Not yet." Alice finished by looking up at Mark. "There are things that have begun to play out. Things that may become dangerous for you and your family. So, for now, I must stay here. It's not a hardship for me. I'm not giving anything up. I want to be here, and I need to be here."

Mark looked at the floor, frowning. Alice's concern for his family, and a future threat to them all, did not sit well with him. He felt the need to protect Alice, not have her protect him, but he also knew that she would see the safest course of action, for them all.

"The concept of being protected, by a slip of a15 year old girl, is quite a blow to my masculine ego," Mark smiled at Alice, "but I do accept that you see things that I will never understand...never see. And I can see the love you share with Thane, and the lengths he goes too, to ensure your happiness." He took a deep breath, and blew it out slowly. "As much as I would love to take you from this place today, and hide you away somewhere in the sun, I will wait for you to be ready. In the interim, would you like to visit with my girls? They would love for you to come for a day in the sun, and dinner."

"I would love that," Alice beamed at Mark.

"I will arrange it with Thane. But right now," Mark stood and prepared to leave Alice's cell, "you should finish your breakfast."

"Yes, Mark," Alice replied with a big smile, as she turned back to her waffles.

#

Alice's life in the cellar fell back into its usual routine. Thane continued to teach, and she continued to soak up everything he taught her. Mark was as good as his word, and Alice began to spend one day a month at his home. Helen had decorated a small room for her, and filled it with clothes of the latest fashions, as well as shoes and accessories. A small bed had been placed in the room, so Alice would feel at home to rest, or even spend the night, should she so choose. But she never did. Alice felt uncomfortable out of her cell at night. She missed the absolute dark, and Thane's company. She loved her time away, but missed the feeling of safety that emanated from his presence.

As the months passed, the three worked out new ways for Alice to avoid the Cox chair. Most of the time their ploys worked, but sometimes they didn't. When she had to endure the abominable device, Mark cared for her, diligently, after her treatment, while Thane watched over her in the night. Alice continued to grow, but seemed to level out at less that five foot tall, and remained rail thin. Thane expressed his concerns to Mark, who allayed his fears by asserting that many women never reached a taller stature, and that he had done nothing wrong in his care of her.

"From what I remember, and have learned about her, it is entirely possible that any issues concerning her growth occurred long before she came into your care." Thane watched the floor, as he meditated on Mark's words.

"Hmmm," he hummed quietly. He and Mark paced the cellar hall, as they spoke before Mark's shift ended. "She was a tiny thing when she came here. Even at the age of four, she was much too small."

"I remember," Mark agreed with him. "A tiny pixie, with the personality, and vibrance of..." Mark paused, unsure of what to compare her to. "I don't know what," he chuckled. "I'd never seen anything like her before. She was simply a joy to behold."

"She still is," Thane corrected him. "She always will be."

"Yes. She always will be our vibrant, energetic pixie." Even Thane had to chuckle at Mark's statement.

"Are you two done?" Alice's head peered around the door of her cell. "Because this little "pixie" is hungry. And we still need to discuss my birthday next month."

"It is a month away, Little One," Thane shook his head, as he quickened his pace, but keeping it well within human norms.

"Yes," Alice seemed exasperated. "_Only_ a month away. There is so much that needs to be taken care of. Decorations. The cake. Gifts. Guests. The party at Marks. I want to give gifts to everyone there."

"It's your birthday," Mark laughed. "You don't give gifts. You receive them."

"Well, that may be true, but you and your family have given me so much, I want to use this opportunity to give something back. I can do that, can't I, Thane?" She pulled him into her cell, bouncing on the balls of her feet, and sat him at her desk. She produced a thick magazine from the middle drawer.

"You may do whatever you wish, my child," Thane chuckled, as she began turning the pages of the magazine.

"You have to go now," she began to push Mark out of her room. "I have to discuss gifts with Thane." Mark laughed as he waved and headed for the door, and the stairs up to the floor above.

"Goodnight, sweet pixie," he called as he disappeared up the stairs.

"Now," Alice turned back to Thane, and her magazine. "I want to get this for Margret..."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I want to thank everyone for their support, and patience. Both my husband and son are doing fine, and my daughter is taking steps to feel better.**  
><strong>

**I'm really sorry this took so long. I hope it will be worth the wait. Chapter 19 should take much less time. **

**I'll be starting it tomorrow.**

**Thank you for sticking around, and remember to please review. I really love to hear what you think.**


	19. Chapter 19

****Disclaimer: ****All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her Twilight Saga series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 19<strong>

**Tracking the Past**

Alice's preparations for her nineteenth birthday party seemed never ending. Thane indulged her every whim, thinking of the day she would leave him to take up a life on the surface. Mark had taken the week before the party off work, so he would have the time to prepare his house, and help his wife and girls with the party preparations. He wasn't sure why this birthday was so important to Alice, but he had learned long ago not to ask why women did things. It was simpler, and safer to nod, and pay the bills as they came in.

Since the night of the débutante ball, nearly four years before, Thane had searched for the scent of the other vampire on a nightly basis. He never let his guard down, nor did he assume the other had forgotten his little Alice, because he knew—vampires never forget anything. So he watched, and guarded her, with all his abilities.

"Thane!" Mark called to him, as his last shift before his vacation was ending. "I wanted to talk to you before I left for the day, for my vacation." Thane approached him, quietly. "The hospital administration is transferring an orderly from another facility, to cover my shifts while I'm gone." Thane frowned at the news. "I'm not thrilled with it, but the shift has to be covered. I don't know anything about him, other than his name is James Marwolaeth." Thane's head began to snap up before he caught himself, and continued his usual stance of indifference. Mark was used to it, even though he knew better; he had seen how deep Thane's emotions ran, especially when it came to Alice. "Anyway, I've left instructions for him concerning his duties down here." Mark took a deep breath before continuing. "There's not much I can do about protecting Alice's things, or the special treatment she has received, but almost every one that works here has a favorite. So, hopefully there will be no problems with this new guy. For that matter, if he's anything like all the others, he'll never even notice her, or her room."

"Let's hope," was all Thane said, as Mark waved and jogged up the stairs to the ground floor, to finish out his shift. "But I doubt it." Thane finished the last part as a whisper.

"You doubt what?" Alice asked, as she poked her head out of her room.

"Nothing, my child," Thane rubbed her head, as he slowly passed her.

"Not nothing!" Alice stood with her fists on her hips, as Thane turned at the tone of her voice. "I know when something is bothering you. And whatever this is, it's bothering you a lot. So you might as well tell me now. I'm just going to bother you, until you do." Alice cocked her head to the side, and gave him a small sweet smile. Thane huffed a breath, then turned back to her.

"Mark was just telling me the name of his replacement. James Marwolaeth."

"Why is that a problem? Do you know him?"

"Marwolaeth is the Welsh word for death." Thane frowned as his eyes rose to meet Alice's. He reached for her, as her eyes glazed, and the vision took her. He gathered her into his arms before she could fall, carried her into her room, and laid her on her bed. He watched over her as the vision ran it's course, and her eyes regained focus, and turned to him.

"He's been looking for us," Alice told him. "He's been working his way here for some time- looking for me." Thane sat on the side of the bed, and pulled Alice into his arms as she began to shake. Her tremors and sobs filled him with dread, but he refused to allow her to see his fear.

"Now is not the time for such thoughts," Thane placed a small smile on his face. "You have a birthday to plan." Alice smiled back at him, but it was a weary smile; the vision had worn her out. "Rest for a while, Little One," Thane laid her back on the bed, and covered her with the blanket. As he stood to leave, Alice grabbed his hand.

"Thane," her voice was weak with exhaustion. "It's going to be alright. Remember what I said before. When the time comes, I want you to turn me." Her voice trailed off, as her eyes closed, and she fell into a deep sleep.

Thane left her cell, and completed his nightly chores for his charges. Once their comfort was seen to, he returned to each cell to feed. Feeling rejuvenated, he opened the door that led directly outside. The sun had just set, and twilight, once again, welcomed him. He inhaled deeply, as he stepped out into the side yard of the hospital. He looked over at the newly constructed parking lot, and saw Mark near his new car. Many people were buying the noisy, smelly vehicles, now. Before Mark could leave, Thane rushed over to him, calling out so as not to startle the man

"Mark!" Thane approached at a fast, human pace. "This James you were telling me about. Where does he work now? And when will he start here?"

"I think they said he works at the Biloxi Sanatorium. Christopher has the shift for the next two days, so he won't be here until Wednesday. Why? Do you know him?"

"No, I don't. But I will." Thane then turned and walked away, back to his cellar. Mark was left with a curious, but concerned look on his face, as he watched his friend's back disappear back into the side door of the large stone and brick building.

Thane waited for the nightly activities to calm down on the upper floors, before putting his plan into action. As the hospital settled in for the night, Thane opened his wardrobe and pulled an ornate wooden box from the floor. He placed the old and scuffed box on the table, and slowly opened it's hinged lid. From within the box, he pulled a long, black, wool cloak, with a large hood. As he wrapped the cloak around his shoulders, he could smell the death surround him. When he pulled the hood up over his head, the scent of those he had destroyed became stronger. His head was filled with the memories of each and every one of those he had rent, and seared. He took a deep breath, pulling in the smell of the smoke from the fires, and let the old feelings resurface. He knew that once he began this, there would be no going back for him. Once again, he would become death; seeking vengeance on those of his own kind who flaunted the laws that protected them all.

"Thane," Alice whispered for him. "Please don't." A low growl rumbled through his chest, as he stalked past Alice, and out into the night.

He knew the location of the sanatorium, and, avoiding all chances of human detection, ran at full speed to the hospital grounds. He stood in the shadows of a small stand of trees, as twilight turned to night, and watched through the open, shadeless windows. He inhaled strongly, and examined each scent for the one he was looking for. As he exhaled through his mouth, he tasted his prey.

_Yes,_ he thought to himself. _Recent_, _earlier __today, __perhaps __four __or __five __hours __ago._

He slowly circled the building, taking care not to be seen by anyone inside. In his search, he found a trail through the woods that this James had used often. He stepped closer to the building, listening to the activity inside. He was able to discover that James used the basement entrance, but did not work in the cellar. He was also able to determine that he was not at work now.

"Did you hear James is going to be gone all next week?" Thane heard a woman say, from the second floor. He looked up and saw smoke slowly rising from the open window.

"I heard he was going to work at another hospital, for someone that's taking some vacation time," another said.

"He's such a strange man," the first one again. "I'm glad he's going to be gone. He's very good looking, but for some reason, he scares me."

"Martha, on the third floor, said the same thing. She said that he reminded her of the murderers she use to work with. Just made her nervous to be around him."

From there, the conversation turned to fashions and an up coming party. Thane turned away from the building, and returned to the trail he had found earlier.

_It's__ good__ you__ are __not __at __work,_ Thane thought, as her entered the woods. The rumbling in his chest grew louder, as he tracked his prey. He moved quickly through the trees, as he followed James' scent. Finally, he came out of the trees near the ocean. Thane followed the trail all the way to the waters edge. He stood like a statue looking out to sea, while listening for sounds along the empty beach. His fists clenched tightly at his sides, his head flying back as his eyes looked up into the star filled sky, and he roared in frustration and anger. The rumbling in his chest refused to cease, as his anger grew. It had been many years since Thane had become this angry. He knew he couldn't return to his cellar in his current state; he could not allow his Alice to see the face of this monster, so he turned back to the city.

He skirted the less desirable neighborhoods near the shore where he was. It was getting very late, and his choices for what he wanted had dwindled. He finally found a woman he thought might suit his purpose. She stood at a corner, with a closed derelict bar at her back.

"Mick," she grabbed at a man exiting the abandon building. "I got ten. Please!" she begged him.

"Fine," he sounded tired. "But you owe me."

"You got a blowjob, earlier. Quit your bitchin'."

"This shit costs money," he grabbed her by the upper arm. "I can't pay for it with blowjobs. I need the rest tomorrow, so get your ass out there and earn it." He passed her a small square of folded paper, and walked quickly away. She carefully unfolded the paper, placed her nose into the middle of the elaborate folds, and inhaled deeply.

Thane watched as a contented smile spread across her face. He saw her begin to bounce on her toes, then walk quickly to one end of the block then back. She would periodically giggle to herself, and whisper unintelligible words, as she paced the block. Thane walked over to intercept her mad dashes, and waved two gold coins in front of her face. She smiled, and followed him without saying a word. He led her to a tree lined section of the empty waterfront. He listened for the noise of other humans nearby, but heard only the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore. He walked until he found an area that suited him, then took off his cloak, and hung it from a low-hanging branch. The woman watched him closely, as she began to loosen her clothing.

"No room, huh? I take it you want this to be a very quick...interlude?" She smiled and swung her hips, as she pulled her blouse from the waist of her skirt.

"Yes," Thane responded in a hushed, seductive voice.

She walked toward him, unbuttoning her blouse, and pulling it open. Thane grabbed at her bare breast, as his face sought out the crook of her neck. With his nose behind her ear, he inhaled deeply, as she raised her skirt to her waist, then reached out for his belt. Thane began backing her into the trees, as she worked him loose from his pants.

"God," the woman gasped. "You're a big one." She giggled, as he pushed her into a tree.

"Family trait," he hissed into her throat.

With his face buried in her neck, and her back pressed firmly against the tree, Thane sheathed himself into her with a loud growl, and a feeling of impending satisfaction. It had been too long since he had done this, and his control was faulty. Too long since he had felt the rush of the cravings that now possessed him. The insatiable lust that had replaced the overpowering anger he had felt earlier. Lust that would soon become bloodlust. Then would come the hunger in his hands, with the uncontrollable desire and need to rip and rend. She screamed, as he pumped hard into her. Pulling away from her neck, he looked at her face to see the pain, and dawning realization manifesting itself there. She saw his red eyes, and screamed again. Thane laughed, as he pounded her into the tree. And as he spilled into her, he sank his teeth into the soft flesh of her throat. Her thick blood filled his mouth, and coated his throat. He drank deeply from her, his throat pulling large, full droughts through the wound in her neck. He moaned at the ecstasy of his sexual completion, and the taste of her blood dancing on his tongue. And as her heartbeat stilled to silence, he pulled himself from her broken and bloody body. His face lifted to the starry sky once again, roaring in both frustration and triumph, this time, as the woman's body folded, and fell to the leafy ground.

His anger still not sated, Thane growled again, then began to rip the woman into pieces. Even though he had drained her, there was still blood in her tissues, and as he ripped her apart, her blood splattered his face and clothing. As the emotions that had set him on this course began to calm, Thane looked around at the carnage he had created. He began to feel guilty for his actions. Not for the woman he had killed, but for his Alice. What she would think of his actions.

_Please __let __her __not __know __what __I __have __done_, he thought, as he gathered the parts of the woman, and began to throw them out to sea. After all the pieces had been disposed of, Thane walked far out into the water, and sank to the bottom. He washed the blood from his face, hands, and groin, then pulled sand from the bottom and scrubbed his clothing as clean as he could. When he considered himself clean enough, he emerged from the roiling sea, took his cloak from the branch, threw it over his arm, and began the walk back to his cellar.

He knew that Alice was in danger every minute he was away. The fact that the trail ended at the ocean, blocking all possibility of pursuit, was a clear indication that James was stalking someone who could possibly track him. If he was choosing to live among humans, then he would have a room somewhere, and would not be returning to the ocean to hide his trail. That he was working at a hospital, indicated the identity of his victim. This was the way Thane thought. This was the way he would have worked, if it had been he, that was tracking Alice. Stalking her. Thane growled loudly, and began to run. Staying aware of his surroundings, he made it back to his cellar in a matter of minutes. He hung his cloak in his wardrobe, then changed out of his wet clothes, and laid them out to dry. He took a moment to straighten his hair, and brush away any remaining sand, then stepped out of his room to see to his charges. Alice was waiting for him, as he entered the hall.

"You won't find him until he's ready for you to find him," Alice's eyes were on the floor, as she spoke to Thane. He stood with his shoulders back, and his head high, as he looked at the wall behind his smallest charge.

"He will be here on Wednesday," Thane avoided discussing his earlier failure, and emotional explosion. "Perhaps we will be able to come to some sort of agreement."

"You know as well as I, that will never happen."

"No. It will not. He is a hunter. A tracker. I recognize the tactics." Alice closed the distance between them. She took his hand and led him toward her cell.

"Tell me about it?" she asked him, as she led him down the hall.

"I expected a very different reaction from you," Thane said as he entered her cell.

Alice sat on her bed, then moved to the middle where she sat Indian style. She waited for Thane to sit on her desk chair, before she spoke again. He looked at her, his eyes blazing red from the large amount of fresh blood he had ingested. He waited for her to speak. For her to raise her eyes, and condemn him with her stare. But when Alice did finally look at him, he saw no condemnation. Only curiosity, and a great deal of understanding. He took a deep breath, and let his thoughts reach back to the past. To his days as the hand of vengeance, for the Kings of his kind.

"As a tracker, the hunt is all. We, my kind, are all hunters, but for a small few of us, it is more. It is everything. We search the world over, for worthy opponents. Those with which to play our game of hide and hunt. I found my opponents in my own kind. I hunted and destroyed those of us who refused to follow the law. And when I found them, there was only one verdict, and I was both judge and executioner."

"Why did you stop?" Alice had always been curious about Thane, but he had never opened up to her before, so she pressed him for as much as she could get.

"Many years ago, I was sent to investigate an incident of immortal children. The circumstances are not important at this time. It suffices to say that, not only was I forced to destroy the vampires who created these abominations, but the abominations themselves. There were several of them living in hiding, in Russia. I worked with a team of three others. We hunted and killed seven children, most of them babies, and twenty three adult vampires. All within twenty-four hours. The fires, and the smell of the smoke..." Thane shook his head slowly, as he was overcome by the memory of the carnage he and his team had created. "I walked away that day, and never looked back. I vowed to never track again."

"And because of me, you felt you had to again." Alice looked at her hands in her lap.

"NO, Little One." Thane was at her side, pulling her into his arms. "Not because of you. Because of _him.__He_ is the cause of this, not you. It is his aggression. He had to have smelled me on you, at the ball. He has to know that you belong to me, to another vampire. It is he who chooses to ignore this, and pursue you." Alice allowed Thane to comfort her, as she considered her next words.

"Thane?" He tensed, as he was sure he knew what was to come next. "The woman." It wasn't a question.

"Our emotions run deep-very strong, and can be difficult to control. It can be even more difficult if the emotion has been denied for a very long time. It is comparable to the proverbial floodgates. Once open, there is no way to close them until the level evens out. I have worked for many years to control my anger, and bloodlust. Tracking James, realizing what he is, what he can do to you, and not being able to stop him tonight, my anger got the better of me. Once I lost control of one emotion, they all came flooding out. I am a vampire. I feel no remorse in the killing of that woman. I only feel remorse in the thought of how it may have made you feel." Thane paused, as he moved Alice's face so he could look her in the eyes. "I never want you to have cause to fear me. I never want you to think ill of me. I only wish for you to be happy, and safe."

Alice smiled up at Thane, and wrapped her arms around his neck. She laid her head on his shoulder, and whispered to him.

"I've told you many times, I could never fear you. You're my Thane, and I love you. I feel happy, and safe, and loved when I'm with you. But we're going to have to leave tonight. He's coming, and he's going to kill us." Thane held to Alice tighter, as he considered her words.

"Perhaps," he whispered to her. "And perhaps not."

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><p><strong>I'm hoping to be able to get back to my regular posting schedule...I hope! RL is still a problem, and doesn't look to be calming down anytime soon, but I will work harder at writing whenever possible. Even a little a day, will eventually get a chapter finished.<strong>

**Thank you all, for sticking with me, while I worked through a few things. I can only hope to do justice to you, my readers, by continuing to give you a good, well written story. Well...as well written as I can write it. :-) Please continue to let me know what you think.  
><strong>


	20. Chapter 20

****Disclaimer: ******All ****publicly ****recognizable ****characters, ****settings, ****etc. ****are ****the ****property ****of ****their ****respective ****owners. ****The ****original ****characters ****and ****plot ****are ****the ****property ****of ****the ****author. ****The ****author ****is ****in ****no ****way ****associated ****with ****the ****owners, ****creators, ****or**** producers ****of ****any ****media ****franchise. ****No ****copyright ****infringement ****is ****intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her Twilight Saga series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

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><p><strong>Chapter 20<strong>

**Escape and Evade**

Thane smelled the rain before he opened the side door. He took advantage of the afternoons' overcast sky to search, again, for his prey. He returned to the stretch of beach where he had lost James' trail the previous night, and searched for the place where he may have come out of the water. Christopher was on duty, so he had no fear of leaving Alice. Christopher was afraid of the cellar, and seldom ventured down the steps unless under specific orders. Thane searched the shore, and the tree line, looking for any sign of frequent usage, or scent of his prey. He knew he was trying to track a fellow tracker, so the task he had set before him was doubly difficult, but he was methodical in his search...and determined.

#

Alice spent her day packing only her necessities. Choosing her clothes carefully, to keep the load light, she wrapped the few mementos she wanted to keep in the folds of her precious dresses. She kept none of her books, they would have been much to heavy. She did keep the diamond and pearl necklace and earing set Thane had given her for the Ball, when she was 15, and wrapped them carefully in the beautiful Ball gown itself. She secured the brush and mirror set Helen and the girls had given her, for her 18th birthday, and the hair combs Thane had gotten for her, in the ruffles of a warm winter dress. When she was sure she had packed as lightly as she could, the ball gown being the one exception, she dressed in a comfortable summer dress, and sturdy boots, then sat on her bed waiting for night, and Thane, to come.

#

"Come on," Christopher's gruff voice echoed down the hall. "She's in the last cell. Just get her, and let's go. I hate it down here."

"Is that why you don't take care of those confined to this...cellar?" It was a smooth, musical voice. Alice stiffened, as she thought she recognized it, but she wasn't sure.

"Huh! I do what I'm paid ta do," Christopher huffed. "Just grab her. She don't like ta be touched, so you, trainee, get ta catch her up," he chuckled and opened Alice's cell.

As the door opened, Alice saw the source of the smooth voice, and her screams were silenced by the sudden lack of oxygen caused by the constriction of her throat. James stepped through the doorway, and smiled at her. He was dressed in the uniform of a hospital aid, but still wore his blue tinted glasses.

"Well, my little prize," his voice oozing with charm and foreboding. "The doctor has decided to stay late, just to make sure you receive your treatment tonight." James strode quickly across the room.

Alice turned toward the wall. Her eyes, wide with fear, never left James. She clawed at the wall, as if trying to crawl up, or into it, to escape him. Her screams froze in her throat, as nothing more than hoarse whispered gasps escaped her lips. Fear possessed her completely, as James wrapped his cold hand around her forearm, and began pulling her from the room. The visions began instantly, and she convulsed, as she fell from her bed, and collapsed into her captors waiting arms.

"Well," James smiled down at her limp body, "nothing unusual here," he chuckled to himself.

"They say she's a witch," Christopher said, as James easily hoisted Alice over his shoulder. "That she sees visions. Sometimes the future. Sometimes the past." James listened intently, as they left the cellar and made their way to the treatment room. "They say that's why she don't like ta be touched. She can see what ya' done in the past."

"Interesting," James hummed to himself. "You may be more of a prize than I thought, little one."

"In here," Christopher brought James from his thoughts, as he opened the door with the large black '4' on it. "Do ya know 'bout these chairs?"

"Never seen one," James placed Alice in the chair, then walked around it, studying it intently. "It seems to have an overabundance of leather straps."

"Nothin' slides 'round in this baby. Now, watch how I strap her in, and you can do the next one." James watched as Christopher confined Alice in the large chair, as she still convulsed from the horrendous visions stemming from James' touch. "The Doc wants ta' catch up tonight, so we gotta' do two more a these, after the girl here."

"Are we ready gentlemen?" A tired, but pleasant voice spoke from behind a window at the back of the room.

"One more strap," Christopher called over his shoulder, before continuing his explanations to James. "That's the control booth, in the back there. There's a door ta' the main hall on the other side. When she's all strapped in we'll step back there until the treatments done...And done," he said over his shoulder, as he buckled the final restraining strap. He stood up straight, then led James to the control booth. "Ready Doc," Christopher informed the tired looking, middle aged man at the controls. The control board consisted of a knob that controlled the speed of the chair's rotation, and an on/off switch. The doctor flipped the switch to the 'on' position, and edged the knob to a moderately fast position.

"We'll leave her here for a few minutes, and allow the chair to do it's work," the doctor smiled, as he looked through the window, at the quickly rotating chair. The three men stood in silence, as they concentrated on Alice, and her treatment.

With his vampiric hearing, James was the first to hear the sounds from the main hall. They had started in the recreation room, at the end of the main hall, and had slowly moved toward the front doors. No one would be able to get past the gate that blocked to front doors from the hall, but it appeared from the sounds he was able to hear, several patients were making an attempt to escape through them anyway. As the fighting neared the door to the treatment room, his companions were able to hear it as well. When the banging from the fighting began to cause the door to groan against it's hinges, the realization that the rioting patients could burst through at any moment finally penetrated the doctor's mind. He immediately reached into a drawer under the control panel, and pulled out a thick cloth and small bottle of chloroform.

"You two," the doctor nodded to Christopher and James, "follow me," and he opened the door behind him. Christopher followed him immediately, grabbing patients as he went, while the doctor filled the cloth with the fluid, and placed it over the mouth and nose of the restrained patient. James gave Alice one final look, then, with a wicked smile, turned the dial all the way up on the chair, before following along with the others. With his help, the riot was quickly put down, and the staff began to drag the sedated patients back to their rooms. James was delegated to patient removal, while Christopher returned to the treatment room.

"No!" the doctor huffed, as he switched the chair off. He looked through the window at Alice's unconscious body. Her hair had flown free, and she had vomited repeatedly. Her hair, dress and the walls were covered in her vomit. Blood streamed from her nose and ears, and streaked across her face and neck, mingling with the vomit in her hair. "Nurse!" the doctor called out the door. When one arrived, he gave her his orders. "Clean her up and return her to her room. You may have to cut her hair. It looks to be in too great a mess to clean," then he turned to leave the room. "And have this room cleaned. We'll finish with the others tomorrow," he said over his shoulder, before closing the door behind him.

"That's right," she huffed as the closed door. "Just leave the mess to us," and she reached into one of the drawers of the control desk, and pulled out a large pair of scissors. She approached Alice, and motioned Christopher over, with a nod. "Release her head, so I can get it all at once," she instructed him. When he did as he was told, she began cutting off huge hunks of Alice's long flowing hair. "Such a shame," she muttered as she hacked away at the vomit coated black mass. "It was so beautiful, and long. No time for fine trimming now," she said, as she finished chopping off Alice's black coiffure, close to her head. "Alright, get her out of here, and I'll meet you in the showers. Just leave her there. I'll finish her up when I'm done here."

Christopher unbuckled the rest of the straps confining Alice, then carried her to the communal showers. He laid her on the floor of the shower room, then cleaned himself off before locking her in, and returning to his duties. Alice had not regained consciousness by the time the nurse arrived to clean her. She turned on the water, then placed the bundle of towels and clothes on a chair on the opposite wall from the shower heads. She went over to a lever and pushed it to the left, transferring the flow of water from the showers to the hose. She stripped Alice of her clothing, then laid her out on the cold tile floor. She sprayed her down, then used a soaped brush to scrub her clean, then sprayed her down again, to rinse off the soap. When she was done, she turned the water off, and toweled Alice dry. She dressed her in an old dress, and replaced her wet stockings and boots that she had also sprayed clean. When she was done, she called for an orderly to take Alice back to her cell. James made sure he was the first to arrive. He glared down at Alice hungrily.

"She's done," the nurse told him. "Take her back to her cell, and leave her to sleep it off." She watched as James scooped Alice off the floor, and threw her over his shoulder. "You could take it a little easier on her," she told him, with her hands on her hips. "She is just a child," she glared at him.

"You want to take her back?" James snarled at her. The nurse blanched, as shock and fear suddenly consumed her more drastically than the earlier riot had.

"Just be careful with her," she whispered as James passed her, and left the shower room.

"I'll be careful with you, little one," he whispered to Alice's unconscious form, as he patted her gently. "You are my prize, as soon as I finish my little game of hide-and-hunt with your master," he chuckled to himself. He made his way to the cellar, and dropped Alice onto her bed. James stared down at her, for several minutes, before leaving her cell. He locked the heavy metal door, then turned to the door across the dark hallway. James let himself into the smaller cell, and stared at the pathetic woman huddled in the corner. She made no sound, but as he approached her, she began to gibber and whine.

"It's pathetic, the way he sips at you," he tilted his head until it appeared to be resting on his right shoulder. "Come to me, human." Holding out his hand, he called to the deranged woman, drawing her out of the corner of her cell. "Come, and tell me how he tastes you, yet leaves you to continue to exist in this wretched filth." James watched her closely, as she shuffled toward him. He ignored her mumbled words, and frequent cries, as her fear escalated. When she finally screamed, and turned away from him, James suddenly rushed to her, to stand at her back. He wrapped one arm around her waist, while the other came around her to rest on her breast as his hand caressed her chin and throat. "Shhh," he hisses in her ear. "Nothing to fear now," he chuckled lightly. "To late to fear."

She began a cackling laugh, as James ran his nose along the side of her filthy neck. Her arms stretched out in front of her, as if she is were reaching for an invisible rescuer. Screamed, incoherent pleas escaped her throat, but no one heard, or cared, as James opened his mouth and allowed his tongue to taste her flesh. Venom began to drip from his sharp teeth, to the dirty skin covering her carotid artery.

"Shhh, human. Time to leave this place. Time to leave a message for your master."

He pulled her chin to the side, allowing him greater access to her neck and bloodflow. He couldn't have stopped the smooth laugh, and gentle smile, if he had tried, as his teeth pierced her skin, and her blood filled his mouth. His eyes rolled back, as he began to suck deep and hard. He hummed joyfully, as his hips moved against her back. He became stimulated by the taste of her warm blood. He tightened his hold on her waist, pulling her firmly against his groin. He felt himself falling into the rapture her blood provided; the ecstasy that always accompanied the blood of a woman, and the power a full meal bestowed upon him. As she grew weaker, her cries silenced, and her arms dropped slowly, lifelessly to her sides. James persisted in holding her until her heartbeat released it's final whimpered thump. He continued to grip her tightly, rocking his hips against her, as he released her throat and licked at the final drops of blood that surrounded her wound. He moaned in elation, then he lifted his face to the ceiling, smiling and laughing.

"No," he hissed, looking back down at his kill. "I'll save myself for the little one." He dropped the bloodless woman in his arms, and forced his hips to still. "She shall be my masterpiece. And I shall enjoy taking her," he wiped his mouth with the back of one hand, while the other rubbed at the front of his uniform pants, "in every way." James laughed loudly, as he raced for the stairs to the ground floor. He made his way, quickly, to the locked gates, and used his key to escape out the front door of the hospital. Within seconds he was into the trees, leaving only the sound of his laughter behind him.

Minutes later, the side door to the cellar opened, and Thane entered. He immediately growled, as he inhaled the scent of his prey. Thane smelled the fresh blood and rushed to the cell of the drained woman. Never before had he felt fear. Never in all his inhuman existence had he been gripped with the onslaught of emotions that now controlled his every motion. He flashed to the door that covered the entrance to Alice's cell. He reached for the small window in the door, and placed his fist through the thick metal bars that cover the opening. He gripped the window frame and pulled the door from it's hinges. The metal groaned and scraped against it's frame, as it pulled free, and was then flung across the hall to rest, embedded in the stone wall opposite Alice's cell.

Thane flew to Alice's bed. He heard the steady sound of her strong heartbeat, and gave a small sigh of relief. Gently, he picked up her unconscious body. He smelled the blood from her nose and ears, as well as the vomit from what was left of her hair. The scent of his prey permeated her clothing, and his lips curled back exposing his sharp white teeth.

"What have they done to you, my little one?" he lamented as he held her limp body close. He looked around and spotted her packed carpetbag. Thane gently placed Alice back on her bed, and raced to his room. Quickly, he threw his cloak over his shoulders, and extracted his coin purse from it's hiding place on top of his wardrobe. He tucked it into a pocket inside his cloak, and returned to Alice. He wrapped her in her blanket, creating a warm cocoon for her to rest in. Once again, he gently picked her up from her bed, and held her tightly, as he sped out of the cellar through the side door. Strategies flashed through Thane's mind, as he headed, at top speed, west, toward Gulfport. He cradled Alice against his body, as he flitted among the trees while keeping the shoreline in sight.

He ran through the night, periodically attempting to wake Alice, but never slowing his frantic pace. Speed was the only thing that would save her now. Speed and distance. As he approached the small harbor town, Thane slowed, and angled toward a small pier containing several dinghies. Gently placing Alice into the bottom of the sturdiest of the small boats, he tossed in her carpetbag, his cape and his coin purse. Then, he stripped off his clothing and added them to the collection of belongings in the bottom of the boat. Thane untied the moorings and threw the bowline out ahead of the boat. He pushed the small craft out, away from the pier, as he silently slipped into the water. Maneuvering to the front of the boat, he wrapped the bowline around his waist, and began to swim. He kept his pace slow, as he left the view of the small harbor, merely as a precaution, but soon picked up speed, as they entered the open waters off the coast of Mississippi and Louisiana. The drag created by Alice's transport, was a minor inconvenience to Thane. And, although he could not swim quite as fast as he could run, the 10 mile trip to Ship Island was completed long before midnight.

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><p><strong>Once again, sorry this took so long. I can only hope the next chapter will not take near as long. <strong>

**Please let me know what you think. Your opinions are important to me.**


	21. Chapter 21

****Disclaimer:****All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her Twilight Saga series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 21<strong>

**Into The Darkness**

Thane pulled the dinghy on to the island's sandy shore. He shook himself dry, his long, light brown hair whipping around his face and head; he then pulled his clothing from the bottom of the boat, and dressed. He listened to Alice's steady heartbeat and shallow breathing, as he tied his hair with a thin leather thong at the nape of his neck, threw his cloak around his shoulders, and pulled the hood over his head. Then he collected the remaining items from the boat. Thane reached for Alice last, lifting her gently, and holding her close. Again, he attempted to revive her, calling her name softly while caressing her blanket cocoon, but she continued to sleep. He moved her toward the interior of the island, to an alcove he remembered from years long past.

Ship Island was a small sliver of land, ten miles off the coast, between Biloxi and Gulfport. It had little to offer Thane in the way of food, but it was isolated, and, at that moment, isolation was what he needed. He carried Alice to a small cave on the opposite shore from where he had landed the small boat; a cave known to smugglers and pirates. He splashed through the water that covered the majority of the cave's floor, to the back wall. No light penetrated that far into the islands underground. Only vampiric vision allowed him to find the wide rock shelf on the far wall. He carefully laid Alice on the shelf, and stacked her things next to her.

Thane perched himself on a small section of dry rock to the side of the watery cave bottom. He balanced on the balls of his feet, his back curved with the side of the cave, and his forearms rested on his thighs. He looked toward Alice, as he spoke softly to her.

"You told me, my little one," he muttered to her unconscious body. "I have no choice. I must turn you, or lose you." He looked down at his empty hands. "Perhaps, in your current state, the pain will not be as excruciating." He stepped away from the wall, and stood to his full height. "I must verify our escape first, my sweet child," and he quickly exited the cave.

Thane flitted instantly to the boat. He stepped into the sturdy dinghy and smashed his fist through the bottom in several places, then jumped from the small boat and shoved it hard off the shore. He watched as it sank about 100-yards off the coast of the island. Then, he roamed the perimeter of the island, inhaling deeply. The scent of his prey persisted in evading him. It was near dawn when Thane completed a circuit of the island, and returned to the cave to continue to listen to Alice's heart beat, and steady breathing.

"I am sorry, my little one, but I can wait no longer. It is time." Thane gently pulled the blanket from around Alice's face, and upper body. Gripping both sides of the material, he smoothly ripped her dress at the shoulder, exposing her neck fully. "It was never my intention to cause you this pain, but I can not allow you to be tortured at the hands of this beast that pursues you." His hands caressed her cheeks, as his face closed on hers. He inhaled deeply, as his nose moved to her neck, and brushed along her carotid artery. His right hand trailed down her neck and shoulder. "Such perfection," he whispered into her ear. "Your skin surpasses others of this time. It is flawless. Pale and perfect. I know you will find this mate you have dreamed of." Venom pooled in his mouth, as he closed in on her neck, "And he will love you as no other can. A love that will last forever." He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see what he was about to do to her. "I am so sorry, child of my heart," Thane whispered, then his lips brushed her skin, as he kissed her neck before opening his mouth. His tongue slid from between his lips, venom dripping from his teeth as he tasted her pulse, then sank his teeth into her soft pale flesh. His lips sealed around the wound, so no blood escaped his mouth.

Thane's venom increased even more, as the blood burst into his throat. He pulled her blood gently into his mouth, and swallowed as he pushed more venom into her bloodstream. He fought the bloodlust that threatened to overcome him, as he worked to remember the reason he was in this cave with Alice. Thane's eyes snapped open and he moaned in both pain, at the need for his actions, and pleasure at the taste of her blood. He thought of his prey, James, and his venom production doubled. He hoped that the increased venom would cause Alice's transformation to end quicker, even though he doubted that outcome.

Sooner than he expected, and unable to contain the bloodlust any longer, he extracted his teeth from her throat and licked the wound, cleaning the blood from her neck and causing it to heal, sealing her blood in with his venom. Thane stepped back, never taking his eyes off Alice. He held himself rigidly, as her body remained motionless, almost lifeless, as the venom began to work its way to her heart. He listened as her heart rate slowed slightly, when the venom finally reached it's target, and her heart labored to push it through her bloodstream. Other than that, there was no indication that anything had changed.

"What did they do to you, my angel," Thane fussed over her. "Let my venom heal all the evil they have inflicted on your mind." He kept one hand on her abdomen, as he waited for her to move, to react to the venom, but she remained as still as death.

The day passed, and night descended on the small island. Thane left Alice's side, and flitted out of the cave, to make his circuit of the island. Again, he inhaled deeply, searching for the scent of his prey, but not finding him. He stood at the mouth of the cave, the wind fighting to blow the hood of his cloak away from his face, as he listened for movement on the island, and the heartbeat of his Alice. He stood vigil throughout the night, but there was no change either from Alice, or on the island. As the sun began to rise in the east, he finally heard a slight change in Alice's heart rate. It began to slow even more, as she passed the 24-hour mark, but she still remained silent. Then Thane noticed a change in the sound of the wave patterns on the far eastern shore of the island. He heard movement on the sand, and water dripping. His lips curled back in a silent snarl, exposing his teeth. Venom pooled in his mouth, as a growl rose from his chest, and erupted into the silence of the dawn. He flitted to the east side of the island, to confront the enemy that had finally come to face him.

James stood on the shore, his clothes dripping seawater on the dry sandy beach. He looked to the west, then shook himself, sending the water into the sparse, tall beach grass. His sandy brown hair remained tied at the nape of his neck, as his clothing threw water droplets in a wide arc around his body. Before he was done shaking himself dry, Thane was standing in front of him, snarling.

"Give up this hunt," Thane warned him. "The girl is mine." James tilted his head to the left, as he studied Thane.

"Why do you keep a pet?" James asked calmly. "You drink from them. You've killed." He started walking a slow circle around Thane, keeping his eyes on him at all times. Thane felt James' fingers gently brush his cloak. "You wear the uniform of the Volturi Guard, which makes this all the more difficult to comprehend. What is it about them that brings some of us to our knees? What would cause you to play servant, to your food?" Thane remained silent, but his nostrils flared, and his eyes widened in anger.

"You are too late," Thane told James. "She will soon be one of us. She is no longer your prey." He smiled to himself, as he relished his small victory over James.

"She was never my prey," James snarled in Thanes ear. He flitted to face Thane head on, leaning toward him, so they stood nose to nose. "You were," he said, grinning maliciously.

Thane responded immediately to James' threat. His eyes flashed to black as he flitted around to James' back, and he reached for his head. James laughed as he reached behind him, and grabbed Thane's hood-wrapped head. He threw him over his shoulder, and into the water. Thane found himself about 50-yards off the island, and turned to speed back to shore. Fish scattered from him, as he swam. James wasted no time in his pursuit of Thane. He ran into the water and met him halfway back to the island. They crashed into each other like canon balls, although nothing could be heard above the waters surface. The two combatants sank to the bottom of the Gulf, locked in battle, each with a death grip on the other.

On the surface, the waves increased in size, as a storm began to brew further south in the Gulf of Mexico. It was just a storm with no signs of becoming a hurricane, but the waves began to batter the sandy shores of the narrow island. Thane struggled for footing in the soft sediment of the Gulf Coast floor. The lower currents pushed against him. He fought to remain standing, as James quickly gripped his left arm and twisted it behind his back. Thane cried out, as his shoulder screeched with the sound of metal ripping, as it gave way and was torn from his body. Shame clouded his mind, as he realized that he was allowing James to win, because of his a over-confidence, and underestimation of his opponents abilities, and determination. Even so, Thane refused to give up. He turned on James in a flash and reached for his right shoulder. Sinking his teeth into the space between James' shoulder and his neck, he fought to wrap his arm around his head, and grab his chin, to pull his head free from his body. But James was ready for him. Even as he screamed his pain, he reached for Thanes face. The fingers of his left hand snaked their way into Thanes mouth, and gripped his lower jaw, as his right hand flattened against Thane's forehead, and pushed with all the force he had.

James laughed silently, as he held the lower jaw of his opponent high, in his left hand. He floated around Thane, who had curled around himself in pain, and fear. James swam over and collected Thane's dismembered arm, and quickly swam back to the island. Thane turned toward the direction James had gone. He launched himself off the sea floor, and rocketed back to the island, as well. He reached the shore in time to watch James throw his body parts into a pile away from the shore. Thane advanced slowly, keeping his eyes on James at all times. His remaining hand clenched into a fist, as he crouched, in preparation for an attack. The wind whipped the waves into a fine spray, that covered them both. The waves splashed onto the island's southern shore, as Thane and James squared off on the eastern and northern shores.

"You still wish to fight me?" James laughed. A growl rumbled in Thane's chest, as he slowly circled James, trying to draw him away from his missing parts. "Oh no," James chuckled. "These are mine." His hand waved over the small lump of cold stone-like parts. "Mine!" His eyes gleamed with an evil glow, as he crouched and snarled at Thane. "And it will soon grow larger, before I set it on fire, and then go in search of the little one." James laughed, as Thane attacked.

Thane flung himself at James. His still strong legs launched him at James' body, while his remaining arm snaked around his opponents arm. James flew toward the small island's narrow interior, and landed on his back, as Thane brought his legs forward so his feet pounded into James' torso. They came to a stop with Thane standing on James' chest, his right arm still snaked around James' left, and and agonizing screech coming from James' overextended shoulder. As Thane pulled on James' arm, Jame kicked his feet up, and with the help of his free arm, he twisted and hit Thane in the back of both his knees. Thane dropped like a rock, on to his back, while James scrambled to his feet and quickly decapitated him. It only took him a matter of seconds for James to completely dismember Thane, and set his body on fire.

"So much for the mighty Volturi Guard," James laughed, as he watched the sweet smelling purple smoke blow quickly away, as the wind picked up from the approaching storm. James stayed near the fire until there was nothing left but ash, then he threw handfuls of it into the strong wind, and watched it swirl out over the Gulf Coast waters. "Now she's mine," James whispered to himself. He turned to make a circuit of the island, and listen for the screams of a transitioning human. The sounds of the violent wind was irrelevant. He would be able to still hear her screams, but he didn't. The wind was loud enough to cover the faint sounds of her heartbeat.

James moved west, to Cat Island. He listened intently, as he quickly swept over the 'T'-shaped island. Frustration beginning to slowly seep into his attitude, he swam back to Ship Island, and searched the far northeastern section of the island, but still found nothing. The day was getting late, as James made his way to Horn Island. The storm had finally reached the barrier islands and he walked the larger island as the rain pelted him, and the wind moaned as it swept through the trees and brush of the islands. James never heard the agonizing screams he hoped for. After checking Petit Bois Island, anger was the only emotion James was capable of feeling. He had searched the day and night, but never heard the sounds that he was sure Alice would be making.

James finally returned to the mainland, and began searching the shore line. He was sure Alice had to be on the mainland, somewhere along the shore. But after another day of searching and listening, he began to doubt that Alice had survived the transition. "It happens," he moaned to himself. "Sometimes their pitifully weak hearts just can't take it." James shoved his fists into his pockets, hung his head, and headed north, into the interior of the mainland. After a few minutes he lifted his head, and began to whistle, and smile, as he considered his half win. The girl may have been lost, but he destroyed his prey. It was time to move on to the next hunt. The bounce returned to his step, as he changed his course and headed northwest, to new places and new prey.

#

The darkness lasted for only moments, before it shifted and shimmered.

_"We call ourselves vegetarians," the blond man said. He looked wary, but fatherly at the same time. His mere presence commanded respect, even from Jasper, who's red eyes and scars made the blond vampire cautious, but he was also so accepting of us. "We live off the blood of animals, not humans," he told us. _

_ The walls of the room were painted white, and they began to ripple, as the picture changed. _

_ "I'm Esme Cullen," the caramel haired woman said. "This is my husband, Carlisle," she said with a warm smile. "He's a doctor, and sometimes not very good with common courtesy," her palm slaps him gently on his chest. He hangs his head in acceptance of her words, but grins at her as well. He looks at her with so much love in his eyes, and she has the same love in hers. Their eyes are so beautiful. Such a bright golden color. _

_ The image of the large white house ripples again._

_ The rain is pouring down so hard, that the other side of the street is invisible. It's probably the reason the diner's almost empty. I'm sitting on a high stool at the counter, slowly twirling in a half circle. I'm waiting for him to arrive. The bell over the door rings as he enters. He's soaking wet, his blond curls straightened to dark waves, with most of it pulled back at the nape of his neck. He walks in with his head down, as he subtly examined the occupants for their weaknesses, and the possibility of becoming a food source. Always the tactician first, his military mind found escape routes, and imminent threats. Then his glowing red eyes meet mine. I pop off the stool and danced toward him. _

_ "You've kept me waiting such a long time," I say with a mischievous smile._

_ He sweeps his battered cowboy hat off his head and brings it to his chest, as he gives me a small bow and a smile. "My apologies, Ma'am. It will never happen again." He takes my arm, and leads me to a booth in the corner of the diner. I sit across from him. _

_ His image ripples, and he's gone. _

_ The darkness filled her mind, just before a new image flashed into being._

_ Water surrounds me, in the sharpest image I've had. I swam to the next island. I found wolves there; red wolves. They were not as tasty as I would like, but I'm starving. I smelled the humans on the other side of the island. It was night, so I had the advantage of being able to see them, while remaining hidden from them. There were two of them. Smugglers, I thought to myself. I dropped the bag of my belongings on the ground next to me. They smelled so good. I tried to resist, but I was so thirsty. They pulled their small boat onto the shore, and began to unload it's contents. After the first man pulled a large bundle from the boat, he began to walk in my direction. When he had passed me, and was over the small rise I was hiding behind, I attacked. One arm wrapped around his chest, while my other hand covered his mouth, and pulled his head to the side. I quickly sank my teeth into the soft flesh of his neck, and began to draw his blood into my mouth. I had to resist the urge to moan in pleasure, as I tasted the blood of my first human. I sat with him in my arms, and I sucked hard at the wound on his neck, until I had consumed all his blood, and his heart had stopped._

_ The other was calling for him. I shoved his body off of my lap, and leaped over the low sand dune, to land on the second. He tasted as good as the first._

_ The dune grass ripples away._

_ I'm in a large room filled with tables and chairs. Everything is fuzzy, like it is a long way away. There are many children my age there. They are eating and talking. I'm looking at a girl with brown eyes and long brown hair. "It's nice to finally meet you." I say to her._

_ Everything ripples, and I see Carlisle Cullen. "We call ourselves vegetarians...It all changes..."You've kept me waiting such a long time."..._

The visions twist and turn, repeating without order of rhythm. Some repeat many times, some are seen only once. They continue through the hours...days. In between them is darkness, and a small jab of pain. The pain is a burning, but it can't replace the feel of the visions. They grow stronger, more solid. More real. They don't frighten her any more. As the days pass, she finds she is able to examine them as she would a picture in a book. She is able to retain the images; they're not as fleeting as they used to be.

As Alice's visions change, the storm outside the cave continues to blast the narrow island. Water is forced through the long cave, but due to the shape and height of the shelf she is on, she is safe and dry. The burning she should feel is masked by the emotions of the various visions. There is no thrashing around. No screaming, or crying. She remains silent, until the transition is complete.

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><p><strong>AN:** I can't tell you how sorry I am, that I took so long to get this chapter out to you. I'd love to say it won't happen again, but I just can't guarantee it. I will promise that I will continue this story, to it's completion. So please don't give up on me.I think I'll take it to the Alice's first meeting with Edward, so there's a lot more to go.


	22. Chapter 22

****Disclaimer:**** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her Twilight Saga series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

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><p><strong>Chapter 22<strong>

**Into The Light**

She woke slowly, to total darkness. Her body felt bound, but she was able to easily push through the thick material of the wool blanket, and free herself. She lifted her head, and looked around. She discovered she was lying on a rock shelf about five feet off the floor of a very dark cave. She found the things stacked around her, a carpetbag and a small pouch, and shifted them so she was able to sit up. She swung her legs over the side of the shelf, and sniffed at the stale salty air of the cave. She felt a burn in her throat, but didn't understand the meaning behind it. With an exaggerated sigh, she bounced off the shelf, and grabbed the items that had been stacked around her. As she moved, she caused the air to swirl around her, and caught a vague change in the air. She lifted her head, and inhaled deeply through her nose, and began to follow the scent to fresher air.

She exited the cave, and found herself on a sandy shore. She placed her things on the dry sand, away from the oceans gentle waves. She inhaled the salty sea air, and lifted her face to the sun. As she raised her arms, to stretch out her muscles, she saw the way the sun refracted off her skin, creating rainbows of color around her.

"Pretty," she breathed to herself, then giggled at the musical sound of her own voice.

The vision came fast, but her mind was able to work faster, and she was prepared by the time it started.

_ "It's the reason we have to avoid sunlight," Jasper explained to her._

_ "That's why they live in the north," she responded. "More cloud cover."_

_ "Who lives in the north," Jasper looked curious, and a little jealous._

Then the vision was gone, and she was once again standing at the narrow mouth of the cave, alone.

"Oh well," she huffed, and found a seat in the shade of the cave, in the dry sand, as she waited for night to fall. As she waited, she pulled the largest of the bundles, the carpetbag, toward her. She opened the carpetbag, and found clothing, and jewelry. In the small pouch, she found money, both paper and coins. As she was packing the money pouch into the carpetbag, she spotted a tag on the inside of the bag. She read the tag and puzzled over it for a few minutes.

_Alice_

"Alice," she whispered. "Must be me." Alice giggled and took more time going through the items in the carpetbag. There was nothing else in the bag, that might help her in any way, to give her clues to her past. But she was happy that she now had a name to go by. "Alice," she whispered to herself again. She dug out a mirror and brush and comb set. The name 'Alice' was also inscribed on the back of the mirror and brush. She looked at herself in the mirror, and smiled. "I'm kind of pretty," she whispered to herself. She held the mirror as she brought the brush to her hair, and began to brush out the spiky short black mop. As she watched herself in the mirror, she began to talk to herself.

"And just how is it you know how to read?" she paused for a breath, and to consider the question. "And to talk. And understand." The image in the mirror frowned, and Alice decided she didn't like the way her face looked when she frowned. She began to make faces, and decided which she liked and which she needed to enhance, for maximum effect. "Maximum effect?" she closed her eyes and tried to think back to before she woke up, but there was only blackness. It was not that she remembered nothing, it was just that all she could remember was blackness; as if she had been in complete darkness before she awoke in the cave.

"Too many question," she whispered in frustration. "Too much that makes no sense." Alice huffed, and replaced her mirror and brush, carefully, amongst her clothing.

As the sun began to set, the burn in Alice's throat became more pronounced. Not knowing what to do about it, she gathered up her possessions, and carefully packed them all back into her large carpetbag. She had noticed the rip in her dress, but remembered a vision of her swimming and feeding, and decided that it would be best to save the few clothes she had, until she was in a position to not destroy them. So, swinging her bag at her side, she smiled happily, and walked to the eastern side of the island, following another vague sent. This one causing the burn to increase, but pulling her toward it nonetheless. The gentle breeze from the east, carried a mild scent of something living. She walked through the shallow waters to The Lagoon, an island connected to Ship Island by a sand bar of sorts. When Alice reached the eastern end of that island, she looked across the waters and saw Horn Island, about six miles across the calm waves of the gulf. Alice sighed deeply, before she lifted her carpetbag over her head, and walked into the waters. Her legs kicked quickly, propelling her across the gulf, and onto the shores of Horn Island, in a few minutes.

Alice placed her bag safely into the grasses of the larger island, and took a deep breath. She caught the scent of the wolves that inhabited the island, and listened for the heartbeats of her prey. The moment she heard it, her instincts took over. Alice became the supreme predator that she was meant to be. A low growl rumbled in her tiny chest, as she stalked closer to her target. There were three of them close by. They were not as large as she would have liked, but they were food. And they were hers. Alice stalked silently through the tall beach grass, until she spotted the group of three on the other side of the small dune she was currently behind. In a flash, Alice leapt over the top of the sand and grass barrier, and landed amidst her prey, growling and snarling. She grabbed the first one in her right hand, and brought it to her mouth, biting into it's throat and sucking greedily. She grabbed the second with her left hand, deftly snapping it's neck. The third wolf answered her growling and snarling with it's own, as it attacked her. The first wolf was drained of all it's blood, in a matter of seconds. She threw it's lifeless body aside, grabbed for the attacking third wolf, as she brought the second to her mouth. All three wolves were drained and dead in less than a minute. Alice relaxed amid the furry bodies, as the burn in her throat eased slightly.

Seeing the carnage around her, Alice decided the only thing she could do was to bury the bodies of the slaughtered wolves. She dug quickly into the soft sand, and placed all three bodies into the hole, before filing it in again. She washed her hands and face in the salty sea water, picked up her bag, and continued into the interior of the island. Half way to the islands northern prominence, the loveliest of scents filled her nostrils. The burn in her throat increased to a blazing fire, and she found herself pulled to the source of the scent.

Alice crouched behind a small row of trees and brush, as she watched two men drag a small flat-bottomed boat across the small sandbar, into the islands marshes. Her instincts were demanding that she attack, and kill the food that was so easily within her reach, but she had dulled the drive with the blood of the wolves, and tried to use her head. She searched some of the visions she had earlier, and knew she needed things. She wasn't sure what she would need, or why she would need them, but she knew she needed to use her head. So, she fought the driving force that attempted to command her forward, and anxiously studied her prey, content in the fact that they would soon satiate the burn that continued to grow in her throat. Once they had the boat across the sand, they both picked up long poles, and began to push the craft along the waterway. Alice dropped her carpetbag, and followed the men toward the islands interior. They stopped the boat about halfway across the island, and pulled it over to the solid ground surrounding the marshlands.

"Hurry up Diggs. Katie's got a bottle with my name on it."

"Fuck Katie," Diggs growled.

"Exactly!" the other man responded, laughing.

"Gimme that bundle, and shut up," Diggs ordered. The other man threw him a large bundle wrapped in burlap, and Diggs jumped off the boat, and headed toward a path just north of where Alice was crouched, watching.

Careful not to rattle the bushes, Alice stalked Diggs to a tiny hovel, a few yards away from the marshes. She watched as Diggs stored the bundle in the hovel, then turned to return to the boat, for another load. He passed the other man on his way back, with a bundle of his own. Alice watched as they unloaded the boat, before making her move. As the other man carried his last bundle to the hovel, Alice ran across the path, and pulled him past the bushes on the other side, stopping about fifty feet from the faint trail. She held him with one arm around his shoulders, while the other was clasped over his mouth and chin. She pulled him so his back was held tight to her chest, as she yanked on his chin, to give her greater access to his neck. She felt his heart quicken, as he realized that he was trapped, and would probably die. Her senses opened wide, as the smell of his blood increased with the fear and adrenalin he was pumping into it. Her nose ran along his neck, as she sniffed at blood that ran just below his skin. Alice quickly sank her teeth into the man's throat, and began to purr, as his blood filled her mouth and throat. She sank to the ground, sucking hard, as his heartbeat began to fade, until it finally stopped altogether.

Alice shoved his body off her lap, as she listened to Diggs calling for his friend.

"Dammit Coy! Get your ass back here! I want to get home."

Alice wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, as she danced back to the path.

"Coy can't come right now," Alice sing-songed, as she sashayed toward Diggs, who was standing near the hovel.

"Who are you!" Diggs demanded. "And what are ya doing here."

"I don't know," Alice answered shyly. "I'm just here, and so are you." She smiled at Diggs, as she slowly stepped closer to him.

"You're just a kid!" Diggs was surprised as Alice neared him. "Who would leave a child here, alone?"

"It's alright," Alice whispered. "I can take care of myself." She finally stood in front of Diggs, looking up into his surprised eyes.

"Come on," he reached for her arm. "I'll take you home. You don't belong here." He tried to pull her, but Alice stood her ground.

"I don't know where home is," Alice told him. She looked at his hand, that held her arm, and sniffed it. "You smell like your friend," she smiled, as she licked her upper lip. "Good."

Diggs didn't have time to consider her words, before she was on him. She jumped into his arm and wrapped herself around him; her legs around his waist and her arms around his shoulders, confining his arms to his sides. She sank her teeth into his throat, and began to suck hard. He tried to scream, but her bite had severed his vocal cords, and all he could do was create a gurgling sound as blood foamed from his mouth. Diggs grew weaker, and his legs began to wobble until he finally sat down hard. Alice listened as his heart began to slow, then stop, just as Coy's had. When he was drained dry, she licked the bloody foam from the corner of his mouth, then continued with her clean-up. She gathered both bodies, examined the contents of their pockets for anything of value or use, and dug another hole in the ground. Then, she undressed herself, and threw her soiled and torn dress in with the bodies. After filling in the hole, she found her carpetbag, and went to the shore to wash herself.

Alice smiled contentedly, as she looked up at the moon. She examined her naked body in the moonlight, and liked what she saw. After standing close to Diggs and Coy, she realized that she was small in stature, but, by looking down at herself, she knew she was not a child, as Diggs had suggested. She was a young woman, and she was pleased with that. After dressing in a light summer dress, Alice returned to the hovel, to examine the goods the smugglers hid there. She found furs and soft cloth, as well as jugs of alcohol, and small pouches of jewels. Alice took the jewels and placed them in her carpetbag. She sorted through the furs, and picked out the softest, then examined the shiny soft cloth and chose the blue and purple to keep. She didn't think red was really her color, but she did wish she had found a bright or even a dark green. She wrapped the cloth carefully in the furs, then again in a heavy piece of the burlap.

When she was satisfied with her bundles, she packed everything into the smugglers' boat, and made her way to the sandbar to the east of Horn Island, and looked across the water to another small sandbar close to Petit Bois Island. Alice sat in the boat and considered her next move. As the night surrounded her, she had a series of small visions.

_"These belonged to my mother," I said to a shop keeper, holding three green stones, about the size of the tip of my little finger, for him to see._

_ "The white ones are diamonds. Very valuable," a different shop keeper told me._

_ "A trade," I suggested to the woman. "The furs for you making dresses from this material. Evening gowns, for formal events."_

_ "It takes time to develop the control needed, to be near humans, on a daily basis," Carlisle told Jasper and I._

Dozens of small visions passed through Alice's head, as she sat in the boat throughout the night. Some showed her how to act, if she wanted to be near humans undetected. Some were repeats of those she had while still on the rock shelf, in the cave. Some were too fast for her to catch the significance of them, others seemed to be vivid and strong, as if they were about to spring to life before her eyes, instead of just in her head. These were the ones she paid the most attention to. She was sure these would be happening in the very near future. She rewound a peculiar vision, and examined it fully.

_Jasper is telling me about military fortifications. We are walking among the tall spruce and pine trees. It is daytime, but there is heavy cloud cover. I've learned so much from him._

_ Then it fades and another begins. A vivid one._

_ I'm on the outskirts of a small town, with a military fort to the east. The smell of the humans is difficult to ignore, but I have to get, and keep, control. I hide, and close my eyes. I will force myself to make the scent of them a minor annoyance. I must gain control. I sit there a while, then retreat to the place I call home, only to return again the next night, to do it all over again._

Dawn was breaking, as Alice came out of her visions. She pulled a heavy tarp from the bottom of the boat, and covered herself with it, as she prepared to hide herself from the coming day.

"Tomorrow," she said to herself. "The next island, and finding a place to stay. Maybe a cave I can hide in."

The day passed slowly, but Alice's mind was in constant motion. She examined every vision she had had. This time, she paid more attention to the background of each snippet of her life. She watched the humans as they ate, drank, walked, and sat. She learned to be like them. She practiced her breathing, working on her huffs, and sighs. She pulled her mirror from her bag, and studied her nostril movements, mouth breathing, eyebrow movements, and various other facial expressions. As twilight settled over the barrier islands, Alice lifted the tarp off of her back, and rowed to the western-most sandbar of Petit Bois Island. She worked the oars at human speed, taking her time, as she worked out more of the human mannerisms she would need to know. Sniffing the air, she continued on to the island proper. Then, not hearing or smelling anything human, she continued on to the islands wider forested area. As night, once again, surrounded her, she pulled the skiff ashore and into the small wooded area. She decided to explore the small island, and seek food. As Alice walked the woods and marshes, she could hear the heartbeats of predators. She was not a bit surprised as a large alligator suddenly slithered out from under her feet, then turned to snap at her. Alice grabbed it's upper jaw with one hand, and closed it's mouth with the other. She calmly turned it to examine it's underside, as it attempted to twirl around her arm, and slap at her body with it's tail. Alice finally bit into the throat of the six foot lizard, tasting it's blood. After sucking it dry, she threw it across the marsh, and wiped her mouth.

"Nasty!" she proclaimed. "But if that's all there is, then I'll get used to it—I guess."

Alice then finished off five more alligators, before she made her way to the far eastern edge of the island. The breeze from the east blew the vague scent of humans to her. She decided to make her home in the woods of Petit Bois Island. But she would worry about that tomorrow. For now, she would sit and smell the humans. She estimated them to be 15-20 miles from where she was.

"Far enough," she murmured to herself. Venom pooled in her mouth, as she worked to ignore the draw to the next island. Her mind worked to develop a plan to see her through the next year. Her visions had warned her that this first year, her newborn year, would be the most difficult. She had found two islands that had life that would sustain her, and allow her to be close enough to humans to acclimate herself to their scent. It would be a difficult year, but she was determined to succeed. When she had had enough of the human scent, to turned back to the woods and decided to try to build a shelter, for the daylight hours. As she pulled everything from the boat, she discovered other small treasures under the seats, and in a wood box at one end of the skiff. She attached ropes to the four corners of the tarp, and tied them to four slim trees or strong branches. She picked up the boat, and carried it to the tarp. She placed it under the shelter and reloaded her things into it.

"Huh!" Alice huffed, then giggled to herself. Then a frown covered her face. "It's going to be a lonely year."

* * *

><p><em>RL has been trying to kill me, this last month. Not to mention writing a pre-Alice Alice is very difficult. <em>

_I hope you enjoy the chapter._


	23. Chapter 23

****Disclaimer:****** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her Twilight Saga series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 23<strong>

**Newborn No More **

Twilight rolled gently over Dauphin Island, while Alice stood under a tree overlooking the small community below her. The scent of the human inhabitants permeated the air like an invisible fog. She waded through it slowly, as she descended on the unsuspecting town. She moved with practiced precision, as she approached her first target; a child dashed toward her, chasing a ball to the base of the sandy hill she was walking down.

"Hello," Alice smiled at the little boy.

"Hello, Miss," he hurriedly responded. Alice reached down and gently grabbed the boy's ball at her feet.

"Is this your's?" She asked sweetly.

"Thank you," the tyke grinned up at her, as he took the ball from Alice's hand. "My mommy's over there," he said, pointing to a group of people, resting on blankets, at the north end of the small grassy park.

"Thank you," Alice said to the boy. As she looked at the group, he scampered off to play with another child, who had been waiting for him to return with the ball. She quickly counted five adults and three other small children and babies. She walked slowly toward the group, listening to their conversation long before she reached them.

"Hello," Alice announced herself to the gathered parents. "I'm Alice. I'm visiting my Aunt, and thought I'd take a little walk and meet a few of the people who live here." She began to bounce mildly, on the balls of her feet, as the others introduced themselves to her. She spent a few minutes talking to the parents, before they began to gather their children, and headed to their homes for the evening.

Alice continued to wander the small community, examining it's night life, and reveling in her hard fought control. As she passed a large storefront window, she caught a good look at her eyes reflected in the glass. A hurricane lamp illuminated her face perfectly, and she marveled at her dark gold eyes.

"Beautiful." She breathed the word, fogging the glass slightly, and surprising herself. She listened for the sounds of anyone around her, then proceeded to breath along a larger portion of the window. Then, when she had fogged a larger portion she placed her finger up to the window and began to draw in the fog. She giggled as she quickly ran her finger over the smooth surface of the glass, but soon frowned when she saw that all her beautiful finger drawings had disappeared.

"Oh," Alice was disappointed, as she stepped back and watched the newest of her work fade back to clear glass. "Oh well." She shrugged and continued down the street. As she neared the church, Alice heard music. A jaunty tune was being banged out on a piano in a crowded building about two blocks from the church. Alice poked her head through the open door, and watched the people as they sat at small tables and chatted with one another, or danced furiously on a small square of open space near the piano. She had time to press her back against the brick exterior of the building, as a vision pulled her away from her present.

_The room had white walls, and light weight, sheer curtains. The floor was a beautiful blond hardwood that was polished to a deep shine. The outside wall was nothing but windows that continued up to the second floor, allowing a view of the gardens that led out to the treeline. There were two couches, both of them white, as well. They faced the magnificent instrument that was the centerpiece of the room. An ebony 1901 __Bösendorfer with 96 keys. The player of the concert grand piano turned to look at me, as his fingers continued to fly across the ivory keys._

_ "You really should check out some of the classics, Alice." He smiled and tried not to laugh, as he continued. "Some of them might just calm you down a bit."_

She giggled again, as she entered the crowded building. She studied the dancers, as she neared the dance floor. She smiled as they kicked up their legs and swayed their hips to the lively music. By the time she reached it, she was able to join in with the dancing women, laughing and bouncing with the best of them. When the song was finished, one of the women grabbed her hand, and pulled her with them.

"Come on." The woman was smiling and out of breath. "We singles have to stick together," she laughed and led Alice to a table filled with other laughing, flushed girls.

"Bring my friend a Mint Julep," Alice's friend yelled to someone near the bar. "And double it." She turned to Alice, and said, "You need to catch up, Honey."

"One for me too," another girl raised her empty glass and yelled. She was joined by all the others at the table.

Alice stayed with the girls, dancing, drinking (even though they tasted awful), and laughing, until it was almost dawn. When the club began to shut down for the night, the girls stayed together. They walked by each of their homes, making sure everyone arrived safely, as the group grew smaller one girl at a time. When the last of Alice's friends had been safely returned to her home, Alice raced to the far west side of the island. It was little more than a high and wide sandbar, and, therefore, private. She stood facing the easterly breeze, and felt her stomach begin to reject the alcohol and sugar she had been drinking all night. With a loud and violent roll, she turned and her stomach expelled it's contents. Alice was doubled over, holding her abdomen as the next vision burst into her head.

_"It takes practice," Carlisle told us. He sat at the dinning room table, with several containers of food his wife had prepared for him. "Soup is the most difficult. Sometimes you can get away with just stirring it. Sometimes you will simply have to swallow it, because there is no way to hide it. If you are out, say at a restaurant, disposal for liquids is made easier if there is decorative flora present. Solid foods are the easiest to hide." I studied him, as he chewed small bites of food, only to quickly spit them into a napkin on his lap. He moved food around on his plate, and made it appear to have been eaten it. _

The vision continued, and Alice studied it. She learned as much as she could, for her next foray into the human environs. She had moved her belongings to a small shelter she built on Dauphin Island, almost a month prior. As she had gained better control, she had inched closer to the humans. Between her visions, and her own tenacious grasp on her bloodlust, she was very successful in all her attempts to travel and interact with the human population of the small island. But Alice's days along the gulf coast would have to come to an end, and soon. Alice was well aware of the pull to go north. There was something to be found, but it would be a long time coming, and it was a long ways away. So, as the islanders prepared for their Christmas holiday, Alice packed her few belongings and loaded them into the skiff she had managed to keep hidden. She carried the boat back to the shore and waited for night to fall. She began to row the small boat toward the mainland, then up the coast into Mobile Bay. She neared the end of the open bay long before dawn, and veered the skiff east. She wanted to avoid Mobile until she had eaten well. As she crossed to the east coast of the bay, she turned into a large tributary, and began heading north again.

Alice finally stopped, and dragged the skiff to solid ground in a widened area of the tributary, as the sun broke the horizon. She smelled a variety of wildlife in the area, including several scents she had never been exposed to before. One, that was very close, seemed extraordinarily mouth-watering. Alice literally dropped the boat and crouched into an attack stance, as she began to hunt her unknown prey. She could tell by the beating of it's heart that it was larger than anything she had hunted so far. As she approached her target from downwind, she watched as it's large shaggy body lumbered along in the swampy forest. It suddenly stopped and raised it's shaggy head, and roared. It was a deep, hollow sound, that seemed to echo through the trees. Alice felt a rush of excitement, as she stepped out of the concealing brush, to accept the challenge put forth by the prickly bear. As if she were dancing on her toes, she silently advanced on the beast from it's side. When she was within striking distance, she bowed to the angry bear, and giggled, then returned to her fighting crouch. She raised her own challenge in the form of a deep rumbling growl that slowly built in her chest, until it became a sound to equal the roar of the bear.

The bear swung around to face Alice, and roared at her again. It stood on it's hind legs and pawed the air, as it slowly walked in her direction. Alice growled low and hissed at the raging beast in front of her. It may have only been a black bear, but it was still larger than Alice, and she was looking forward to the fight. She danced around the angry bear, as it dropped to all fours, and continued to reach for her with claws extended on it's strong paw. Alice began to giggle as she jumped onto the back of the bear, and leaned over to bite into the thick fur at it's neck. The enraged beast roared and thrashed, as it tried to dislodge Alice from it's back, but she had a firm grasp with both her arms, legs, and teeth. As the bear's blood filled her throat, she hummed in satisfaction at both the taste and the fight that still possessed the animal. She could hear it's heart rate begin to slow, until it finally collapsed with one final beat of it's heart. Alice released the dead bear, stood, and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. As she looked down at it, she licked the blood from her hand, then noticed a tear along a side seam on her dress.

"Shoot," she mumbled to herself. She quickly dug a shallow grave for the bear, tossed it's body in, and covered it, then returned to where she had dropped the boat. She pulled a sewing kit, she had bought on Dauphin Island, from one of the bundles, and began to repair her dress. She made small stitches so the dress would not look as if it had been ripped. After she had repacked the sewing kit, she dug out the change purse, and examined the jewels she had placed in it.

"These dresses simply are not good for hunting bears," she mumbled to herself. "Just too long, too full, and too frilly" she huffed, pulling her skirt around her, and held it close, as she walked through the wooded swamp, exploring. The day dragged for her. She had to wait for nightfall to make her way to Mobile. She wanted to trade some of the jewels for different clothes. As much as she hated the idea, Alice realized that men's clothes might be the best idea, for hunting. She thought about the bolts of silk she had on the skiff, and dreamed of beautiful dresses that she could wear to parties, and to hunt.

"One day, I'll make dresses that will suit all my purposes," she mumbled seriously. "Someday."

As twilight again shrouded the sun from the world, Alice began her trip to Mobile. She carried the bag of jewels by wrapping the closing thong around her wrist, as she skimmed the swamp across Mobile Bay. When she had reached solid ground, she straightened her dress, brushed her boots and jacket, and entered the bustling city. It only took a few minutes for Alice to find the business area, near the city's docks, and a jeweler to buy a few of the gems she wanted to sell. Alice then skipped her way to a general merchandise store, and purchased the clothing she wanted. She found three pairs of pants, that suited her tastes, and three button down shirts. Two blue plaid, and one a blue work shirt. She also bought a new pair of wing tip work boots, and a knapsack to carry all her new items in. She purchased a few items to make her look more believable, as a traveler on the road. She stored everything into her knapsack, and counted the remainder of her funds. She made her way to a dress shop before it was ready to close for the night.

Alice tried on several dresses before she was happy with a scarlet red flapper dress, with beaded fringe at the bottom and shoulders. She then purchased a pair of red satin Mary Jane's with 2 ½ inch heels, silk stockings, as well as a girdle. When she was sure she had everything she would need, she found a reputable hotel, and rented a room. The first thing Alice did was to shake out her new clothes, and hang them neatly in the closet. She then drew a bath, and relaxed into the hot water. She considered her next move, as she washed away the dirt and grime from the past days travels.

"I'll have to conserve my money," she said to herself. She realized then, that she would have to purchase bathing supplies to carry in her knapsack. "If I want to stay clean, I'll need to find places to wash on the road." She looked around the bathroom, and thought about what a luxury it was, and how it was an expense she could not afford to indulge in very often. "So much to consider," she mumbled, as she slapped at the surface of the water. "But I'll get it all organized," she happily sang.

When Alice had finished her bath, she dried herself off, then toweled her hair dry. She pulled out the new wooden handled hairbrush she had bought, and brushed her short spiky hair until it was dry. Setting the brush aside, she looked at the clothes hanging in the closet, and smiled broadly.

"Not now," she mumbled. "The night is still young, and I want to dance." Alice shook out her old clothes, and wiped away any mud or dirt she found, and redressed to go out for the night. She was not dressed to the height of fashion, but she was satisfied with her appearance, as least for this one night. She checked her cash, hid the gems she still had, and left her hotel room, locking the door behind her.

It didn't take Alice long to find a dance club. She stood in the alley, listening to the people as they entered the club. She learned the coded knock, and heard the password, and was in the club in a matter of minutes. She left her jacket with the coat check girl, then danced her way to the bar, and ordered a drink. She sat and listened to the music, and watched the dancers, both men and women.

"Would you care to dance?" his voice was smooth. Too smooth. Alice turned to him, and saw the red eyes behind his blue colored glasses. He gave a small gasp when his eyes met hers. "Your eyes are very...distracting." Alice lowered her head, and gave a vibrating growl that none would hear but the man facing her. He immediately held his hands in surrender. "I mean no harm," he lowered his head, but kept his eyes locked on Alice's. "You're new here." his voice quieted and became smoother. "There are only a few of us here tonight. None of us have eyes like yours. They are quite beautiful."

"It's my diet," Alice informed him, as she relaxed, but only slightly. "I prefer to feed on animals," she continued. "I have spent the last year learning to surround myself with humans, and not imbibe. It is very difficult, but worthwhile, to be able to relax, and enjoy the company of humans."

"Very interesting," was the male vampire's reply. "My apologies, for my poor behavior," he bowed to Alice. "I am Alexander Dearborn. I am the oldest in this area." He gently took Alice's hand, and brought it to his lips. The visions that filled her head were of a gentleman, but also a killer.

"I'm Alice." She smiled at him, as she shook off the vision. She was careful to present a friendly smile. One not meant to invite or arouse.

"Just Alice?"

"That's all I know," she frowned.

"Not to worry. Please call me Xander, as my friends do." His smile was also friendly. "Come and meet some of the others." He gave her hand a slight tug, and Alice took her drink, and followed him across the room. There were two others at the table. Alice thought the man and woman were a couple, but as she watched them, she realized that they were not a mated pair. Xander held a chair for her, then took the last empty chair for himself.

"Alice, this is Camile, and Everett." He nodded to each in turn.

Alice nodded as well, and said a quiet "Hello".

"Alice is new," Xander told the others. "Just past her first year."

"Who sired you," Camile asked disinterested, as she looked off to the dance floor refusing to meet Alice's eyes.

"I don't know,"Alice replied. Three pairs of curious and suspicious eyes flashed to her, before turning away to look elsewhere.

"I've seen nothing in the papers, nor heard anything from the local constabulary, that would indicate a newborn in the area. Where are you from, little Alice?" Everett asked, while looking past her, toward the bar. Alice noticed his face was friendly, but his tone, like Camile's, was condescending.

"From the barrier islands. I spent most of the last year on Dauphin Island." Alice smiled, proud of her achievement.

"Well," Everett waved his hand idly in the air, "that explains it. From the lower islands and no sire to teach her the proper way to feed. No wonder her eyes are that abominable color." He leaned into Camile. "Next she'll be telling us she lived on alligators and sharks." Both he and Camile burst into loud laughter, as Alice sat straighter in her seat.

"I think your eyes are beautiful," Xander's voice was commanding, and he spoke directly to Alice, instead of about her, as if she wasn't there. "As for spending the last year on the islands," he appeared thoughtful, "I can see it as being an appropriate place to teach a newborn how to live, and remain out of the humans line of sight. I do recall hearing about a few smugglers, and their booty, going missing." Alice looked down in shame.

"I was not always as successful as I had hoped to be," she confessed. "Especially early on." Alice sighed deeply, then looked up into Xander's red eyes.

"No one is perfect," Xander laughed, while Everett and Camile huffed and removed themselves to the dance floor. He watched them as they walked away. "Some of our kind can be very arrogant, and with very little reason," his eyes slowly returned to Alice. "What you have done, with no one to teach you, is simply amazing, my dear Alice." Xander took Alice's hand in his, and kissed it, again. "But if you wish to live among humans, and feed from animals, you will probably be heading north?" He looked puzzled, his head tilting to the right, as he studied her face.

"You have a gift?" Alice smiled at him.

"Such a minimal thing. I can suggest a direction for our kind, to help them find what it is they seek. Almost useless." He relaxed back into his seat.

"Not to me," Alice told him. "I know I need to go north, for several reasons. But which way north?"

Xander tensed and studied her for a moment longer. "Northeast first, then northwest." He relaxed again, then smiled at her. "You have a long wait yet, before you find the objects of your desires. Will you stay here, until it is closer to the time in which you will find these things you are searching for?"

"No," she smiled back at him. "I'll continue to travel to learn more about humans, and see the world."

"Then we must enjoy the night," Xander raised his glass to Alice, and she to him. They both pretended to sip at their drinks, then joined the others on the dance floor. Alice spent the evening learning about her new acquaintances, dancing, and chatting with the humans in the club. But at the end of the night, she returned to her hotel room, and dreamed of her mate. "I'll find you, Jasper," she murmured to herself, as she began to look through her clothes.

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><p><strong>AN:** Thank you all for your patience. Things will begin to move more quickly for Alice. There may only be a couple more chapters to this story. not quite sure yet.


	24. Chapter 24

****Disclaimer:****** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her Twilight Saga series of books**

**WARNING:** This story will contains scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 24<strong>

**Capital Mistakes**

Alice sat on the edge of her bed, naked, staring into the closet of her rented room.

"Dress first," she sang, as she reached for the girdle that was laying on the chest of drawers against the wall next to the closet. When she had it in place, in a fashion that appeared to be correct, she reached for the stockings. Rolling them up her legs, she hummed at the feel of the silk against her skin. After attaching the stockings to the girdle's suspenders, she pulled the scarlet flapper dress from it's hanger, and stepped into it. The red silk shoes finished off the ensemble. Alice heard the jaunty music in her head, and she began to bounce around her hotel room, as she watched herself in the full-length mirror. She laughed and shimmied to a tune she remembered from her night out, on Dauphin Island.

Eventually, Alice changed out of her dress, and tried on the pants and shirts. She studied her reflection in the mirror, and considered ways to improve the fit of the trousers. She quickly examined the extra sewing supplies she had purchased, including the different color threads, and began to work on pinning pleats to the front and sides of the pants. She sat back against the headboard of the bed and hummed, as she removed the pants, then sewed the pleats in place. When she was done, she worked on hemming, and tapering the legs. The length and width of the legs of the pants were far too much for a person of her short stature. When she finished with the first pair of trousers, she tried on the second and third, and altered them in the same manner. Alice spent the day altering her new clothing. She smiled and giggled, as she sewed pleats into strategic areas of the shirts, making them more form fitting. When she was done, she dressed in a pair of the slacks and the fitted blue work shirt. She slid thick socks over her dainty feet, then stomped them into the new work boots. She carefully folded and packed the rest of her things into the knapsack, including her old clothes. Alice threw her old boots in the trash basket in the room. They were old and dirty, and no longer kept out the water. She was happy to find that there was plenty of room left in the pack, but it was still not enough room for all the things remaining at her camp across the bay, plus the new things she would need to wash herself on the road. She decided right then, that she would wait until such things were needed, so as to have more time to figure out how to carry everything she wanted to keep. When she was ready, Alice checked out of the hotel, then stuck to the shadows, as she made her way out of town.

Alice made it back to her shelter without incident. After leaving the knapsack at her camp, she set out to hunt. Traveling deeper into the forest, she found a herd of deer feeding in a small meadow. She quickly took down a doe, and drained her, before catching another, just as the herd began to move off too far. While she was burying the two she had killed she smelled something else. A scent she had come to associate with a predator. She tracked the scent trail until her prey's heartbeat became loud and wet in her ears. The roar and growl of the big cat alerted Alice, before she realized the predator was on to her. Not liking another predator in it's territory, the puma had tracked Alice. They met in a small break in the trees near a small rock shelf, and danced a circle around each other, looking for any opening for attack. Finally the cat crouched and held it's ground. Alice leapt, just as the cat pounced for her. She obtained the greater altitude, and swiveled mid-air, to latch on to the cat's back. Her legs wrapped around the cat's haunches, just in front of his back legs, while her arms locked around his chest, forcing his front legs to adhere to the sides of his body. She was feeding from the puma before it hit the ground. After draining the big cat dry, she buried it's body on the higher ground than the deer. When she was done, she smiled at herself.

"I did it," she giggled to herself, as she examined her still clean men's clothing. Then she smacked her hands together, as if to brush the dirt from them, returned to pick up her knapsack and carpetbag, checking to make sure everything she needed was in one of the two bags, and set off for new parts. Christmas was the following week, and Alice wanted to find out what that was all about.

***1927***

It was June 11, and Alice watched as the USS Memphis coasted along the Potomac River. She danced and clapped with all the others waiting for their first sight of the Spirit of St. Louis. Charles Lindbergh was back, and the whole country was having a party. She was dressed in her new bright purple flapper dress, with three strings of beads knotted on her chest, so they didn't fall all the way to her knees. She watched as the ship docked at the Washington Naval Yard, and waited patiently until it's escort of several other warships and the zeppelin, the USS Los Angeles, had moved off. Finally, all the hoopla had quieted down. She peeked at "Lucky Lindy" as he walked off the ship. Alice thought he looked tired, but it was the plane she really wanted to see.

Alice had worked hard at staying in the shadows all day. As the sun began to set, she stepped out into the shadow of the ship, and slipped quietly to the ships gangplank. When heads were turned, she ran at full speed onto the naval cruiser, and ducked into the first hiding space she could find. As night crept up, so did Alice. She worked her way soundlessly toward the hold of the ship. As she neared the place she wanted most to be, she found a single guard blocking her way. A vision flashed in her mind, and a broad smile covered her face in response. She smoothed out her dress, and straightened her beads. Then, placing her hands on her hips, she straightened her back, lifted her chin, and strutted out to meet the marine guard blocking the door to her prize. She sashayed up to him, and looked up into his hazel eyes, and smiled.

"And just who might you be?" the guard asked. His eyes started at her purple heels, and slowly made their way up to her chest.

"Eyes here big boy," Alice used two fingers to guide his eyes up to hers.

"WOW!" his mouth said silently. He gave his head a small shake and straightened his back. "How did you get on board, Ma'am?"

"I had to sneak on board," Alice whispered to him. "Can you believe that." She ran one finger up his uniform covered chest to his chin. "And all I want is to see the Spirit of St Louis." Her finger traveled up to his lips as she stepped closer to him, while the palm of her free hand rested on his chest. "Just a peek?" The tip of her finger tapped his nose, as the last word crossed her lips. "Please?" she breathed into his face, with a big smile, and an exaggerated eyelid flutter.

"For you, my tiny sweetheart, anything. But I have to go with you. I am ordered to do a visual check once an hour. Nothin' said I had to do it alone." He smiled mischievously down at Alice, as he opened the small metal door to the hold. It opened with a loud clang, as he then swept his arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side. "My name's Pete," he said as he flipped a light switch and overhead lighting brightened the room. He quickly closed and locked the door, before leading Alice to the plane she had been wanting to see.

Alice walked slowly around the famous airplane, her mouth hanging open. "How does it feel to be a part of guarding history?" she asked Pete, as her circuit returned her to where he was standing.

"Guess I never thought of it that way," he looked thoughtfully at the plane. They had both spoken in whispers. "Guess it's kind of an honor to be trusted to keep it safe. It's going to the Smithsonian in a few days. Wow! I really am guarding history." Pete's voice carried a large amount of reverence in his last sentence. He looked down at Alice, his expression too filled with awe to smile. "That's why it's us Marines, that do the guarding of national treasures like this," the smile that filled his voice, also covered his face.

"Thank you, Pete." Alice grabbed a hold of his hand, and walked with him out of the hold. Alice took one last look, as Pete switched off the lights, then closed and locked the heavy metal door.

"You better skedaddle on out of her, little pixie," Pete told Alice. "And when you get to the gangplank, tell Calvin I said it was alright." He winked at Alice, as she skipped down the hall.

Once out of Pete's sight, Alice quickly made her way to the gangplank. True to Pete's word, Calvin Bently was guarding the top of the ships entrance. Alice skipped up to him, and pulled gently on the sleeve of his shirt. "Pete told me to tell you it was alright." She tilted her head, as she watched his reaction. At first, he was surprised to see her standing next to him, as if she had appeared out of thin air, but it quickly changed to mild acceptance, as he grinned at Alice.

"Leave it to Pete to find the prettiest girl in port, and already have her on board." He laughed quietly as he leaned toward her ear. "Was the 'Spirit' everything you hoped for?" he asked her.

"Oh, yes," Alice smiled back, "and Pete was a perfect gentleman."

"He better have been," Calvin straightened his back, "or you'll be the last girl he sneaks on board to see some national treasure he's guarding."

"Thank you." Alice stretched up on her toes, and gave Calvin a kiss on his cheek, then danced down the gangplank to shore.

It was full dark at the Washington Naval Yards, as Alice zipped across the docks and into Washington DC, proper. She made her way across the busy capital, to the speakeasy that was the site of the party she planned to attend. She had met a vampire couple, a mated pair, earlier in the week, and they had invited her to a place they managed for the mob. Or so they said. Alice had her doubts as to the honesty of the couple, but she had heard that they threw a great party, and the music was good, so she was happy to attend. She hunted well, before arriving at the door, and gave the secret knock. She spotted the couple, as soon as she walked through the door.

"Alice, my dear child," Tiffany swept her up into a tight hug, "I'm so glad you made it in time."

"In time?" Alice allowed herself to be led to the next door. The one that led to the actual drinking and dancing. Carl, Tiffany's mate opened the door, and ushered the two ladies into the party.

"You are the last to arrive," Carl told her. Alice looked out over the crowd of party-goers, and was able to spot several other vampires. She did a quick count and calculated that there were eight vampires, nine including herself, to eighteen humans. For some reason the count made her nervous. Alice found it difficult to see the future when she was around Tiffany, but she wanted to believe she was imagining things. That there was nothing to worry about. So, she ordered a drink, and skipped off to the dance floor, smiling and laughing.

The night lengthened, and the music played. Alice began to forget her hesitation, until her vampire hearing detected the sound of heavy bolts being slid across the front and back metal doors. Tiffany sidled up to Alice and spoke, in vampire speak, close to her ear.

"We really were afraid you'd be late," she said to Alice. "Carl and I are leaving DC tonight, and we're going out with the best soirée we've ever had here in Washington." Tiffany laughed as she led Alice to the wall behind them. Alice noticed that all the vampires had moved to form a circle around the humans.

"No," Alice shook her head and tried to move toward the door, at the back of the room. "I don't do this. I don't eat humans." She started to panic, but Tiffany held her tight.

"Oh, we know you said that. But it clearly goes against your nature to live on a diet of animals. Carl and I decided we just had to help you become reacquainted with your true nature. Relax, sweetie. It will only take a second. The smell will bring you back to us." Tiffany smiled as she rubbed up and down, on Alice's arms.

"Please don't," Alice begged. "I don't want to do this." She tried to pull away from the determined hostess, but her strength wasn't sufficient to escape from the elder vampire's grasp.

"It will all be over in a moment," and Tiffany gave a diminutive nod as Alice's sanity came to an abrupt end.

The eight vampires each grabbed a hold of the closest human and bit into their soft flesh. Blood began to splatter and spray in all directions. It took the remaining humans a moment to realize what was happening. Then the screaming started. The music from the other room increased in volume, as the screaming escalated. The eight shed themselves of their first kill, and moved into the throng of panicking humans. They chose their second kill and began to feed. Some worked as teams, with two or three vampires biting and feeding off of one human. One of the male vampires shredded the dress of one of the human females. He threw her back down on a table, opened the buttons of his pants, and took his pleasure as he drained her. He then turned to another woman, and slammed her face first into a wall, as he ripped her clothes from her body.

Alice held her breath, as she turned to the wall. She squeezed her eyes shut, and used her hands to feel for the door. Her feet met with some resistance, and she looked down to find a female vampire sucking at the inner thigh of a large man. She looked up at Alice, blood dripping down her mouth, and smiled. "It tastes so good," she growled, and continued with her feeding.

She was almost within reach of the door to the alley, and safety, when a hand reached her shoulder. The surprise of it caused Alice's downfall. She turned to look at the blood covered human hand, and her gasp was completely involuntary, but it allowed the heavily scented air to enter her body. The air that was wet with the taste of human blood brought her eyes instantly to a pitch black with hunger and need. Alice turned on the man, and sank her teeth into his soft throat. The blood flowed eagerly into her mouth, and down her throat. She grabbed his body and held it tightly to her, as she pulled strongly from his neck. She hummed in pleasure, as her eyes closed and she enjoyed her first human meal in almost seven years. As his heart beat for the last time, Alice dropped him to the floor. Blood dripped from her lips, as she looked at the carnage around her. She took a deep breath, smelling and tasting the blood in the air. She smiled and lifted her eyes, in search of prey. A woman was cowering in the corner. Alice flew across the room, and ripped the woman from her inadequate niche. She pulled the woman's arm from her body, and placed her mouth in the gaping empty shoulder socket. Her tongue instinctively found the main artery, and it twirled in the spurting flow that was then sucked into her mouth, and down her throat.

Alice hummed and laughed as she played with the blood that covered her face and hands. She dropped her second victim, then looked around her. No human was left alive. The floor was a mass of dismembered body parts and thickening blood. Several of the those that worked as a team, were now satisfying other needs, as they rolled around the floor in the blood. Tiffany spotted Alice, and flashed to her side.

"This was all for you," she told Alice. "You needed to be reminded of your true nature. Talking about this alternative to human blood-well, it's just not healthy. We blame your sire, of course. He should have been there for you. To teach you the proper way to sustain yourself. Now," she patted Alice's shoulder, as she slipped her arm around her, "Don't you feel so much better?"

Alice's smile disappeared. The horror of what she had done was beginning to sink in. The smell of the blood was still overpowering, but there was nothing left alive; no heartbeat to call to her bloodlust.

"I need to get cleaned up," Alice whispered to Tiffany. "It will be dawn soon, and I have a ways to go, to get to my hotel."

"Never you fear, child," Tiffany smiled and gave her a hug. "We always have extra clothes for our guests. Come with me." She led Alice to a trapdoor, behind the bar. "You'll find a shower down there, and a stack of clothes. Take what you want. It looks like some of our guests will be a little involved for a few minutes." She raised up to look at the remaining party-goers. "You just wait until you are mated, my dear child," she called down to the cellar. "A good feeding like this does wonders for the sexual drive." Tiffany left the trapdoor open while she returned to her mate, laughing gleefully.

Alice refused to turn on the light in the small cellar. Her vision allowed her to find the shower and start the water. Her clothes were soaked with the blood of the humans above. She ripped them to shreds, as she pulled them from her body, and stepped under the cold water, naked. Sobs escaped her, as she scrubbed the blood from her body and hair. _"This was all for you,"_ the words echoed in her mind, as she lathered her hair with the cheep shampoo she found. When she had scrubbed her body with the lye soap, she stepped out of the shower stall, and searched for appropriate clothing to leave in. _"...true nature..."_ another phrase that echoed and sickened her. There was a door on the opposite wall that had the stairs to the trap door. Alice checked the new door, and pulled it open slowly. It creaked loudly just as the handle gave way, and broke off the door. She forced her small fingers into the tiny space where the door had cracked open. She was able to force the door open enough for her to squeeze through. She followed the musty, dark hall until she was sure she must be under another building. The bricks that made up the floor of the hallway changed from a dark red to a lighter shade; almost a pink. The hall turned abruptly, and became wooden stairs that opened up to another trapdoor. Alice listened, but heard nothing from the floor above her. She forced the trapdoor open, took a quick look around, then climbed out of the underground passage. The shop was dark and filled with flowers of every kind. Alice inhaled strongly, glad to substitute the small of blood, for the delicate scents of the flowers. She wandered the rooms of the shop, smelling each type of flower and orchid, then reading the tags attached to the stems or pots of the flowers. She smiled as she studied the varying colors and subtle fragrances of some of the blooms.

Alice found herself giggling as she continued to the second room of the shop. It was the work room, where the flowers were combined into bouquets and intricate arrangements. She studied the tools used for this type of work, and admired the centerpieces she found in the room. The beauty of the flowers had restored Alice's sanity, but as she neared the front of the store again, she saw her reflection in a large mirror behind the shopkeepers counter. The red eyes that stared back at her, terrified her. Alice unlocked the front door of the shop, and ran through the early morning darkness back to her hotel. She quickly gathered her belongings, and left Washington DC. It would be years before she would be able to return to the capital city. Years before she would be able to forgive herself for being fooled by Tiffany and Carl. And years before she would tell anyone about her unusual diet.

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><p><strong>AN:** I've changed my mind and have decided to have Alice wander a bit, before she finds Jasper. I hope you will all enjoy her travels .


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her ****Twilight ****Saga series**** of books.**

**WARNING: **This story will contain scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 25<strong>

**Prelude to War **– **1934**

"I'm telling you," Alice hissed through her teeth, "this will lead to another war!" She folded the newspaper then slapped it down onto the table. She was pretending to drink coffee with Hazel, a human friend from one of the night clubs she frequented.

"Really Alice!" Hazel huffed. "The World War was the war to end all wars. Remember?"

"Mark my words, Hazy. We have not heard the last of this new-Fuhrer. Hindenburg wasn't dead but a few hours before this Hitler took over. It's not going to be good. Believe me." Alice looked around the swanky hotel restaurant, remembering her vision from the evening before. She had seen the beginning of World War II, while she bathed and prepared to go out the previous night. Now, as her eyes passed over the faces of the restaurants patrons, some of the men's faces blurred and turned into skeletal death masks. Alice gave her head a shake, as her friend's voice broke through her odd vision.

Hazel laughed at Alice. "He was voted in, Ali. The people of Germany must believe in him for some reason." She sipped at her coffee. "I hate politics. I mean-what's the big deal? It's Germany. The other side of the world." Hazel became bored with the conversation. "Really, Alice, what does it mean to us? It's just too far away to have any impact on us here, in the United States of America. Forget about it, Ali. It's just more political rubbish."

Alice sighed deeply. She carefully, and quickly, poured some of her coffee into the potted plant, next to her, while Hazel's head was turned. She looked out at the other patrons of the stylish restaurant, and tried to relax with her friend. The two women chatted through a second cup of coffee, avoiding anything political, then parted ways. Alice stood at the hotel's entrance and watched her friend walk away. Hazel's carefree attitude refused to stick to Alice. The vision of the coming war and it's devastation refused to leave her in peace. She left the hotel, as cloud cover passed over the sun and blocked it completely.

Alice watched Hazel until she was out of sight, then walked across Oak street and onto the shores of Lake Michigan. She pulled her shoes off and felt the sand as it surrounded her tiny feet. The hot sand felt warmed her feet, causing Alice to smile and hum in pleasure. "Hmmm. Warm," she whispered to herself, as she began to walk north along the shore of the Great Lake. It was a short mile and a half to Lincoln Park and the thickly wooded area she needed. Deer were plentiful, and, with the threat of rain, people were sparse. Alice fed and buried her kills, then wandered the park and beach until dark. She loved Chicago, but it was time to move on.

The visions of war haunted her. As she walked, specters of emaciated prisoners superimposed along the beach and treeline. They appeared to hide behind the trees, only to peek out at her as she passed. Alice shook her head, trying to dispel the vision. She very nearly lost the blood she had just consumed, at the sight of the horrific treatment of the thousands of prisoners. As the chimera expanded, she was knocked to her knees as she realized the true number of emaciated and murdered prisoners. "Millions," she sobbed. "Not thousands...millions."

Alice remained on her knees at the edge of the treeline as the sun poked out briefly. Her hands momentarily glittered in the bright afternoon light, but the clouds slid back in place before anyone could identify anything out of the ordinary. She remained in the slowly altering shade of the treeline, as she sobbed for the loss of life she envisioned. "Innocent lives," she murmured. "Not soldiers...Innocents." She sat back on her calves and let the visions roll through her. The images had never been this strong before, and she prayed for tears to acknowledge the loss of each life, but that was simply not possible for a vampire. She knew that at least two hours had gone by as the roll of the dead and dying passed through her visual field, before they took a turn for the better. Images of bravery and rescues started to replace some of the images of the dead. As the ghosts of the future began to slow, more visions of Jasper and other vampires, fighting German soldiers and vampire sympathizers, became more prevalent. A smile slowly returned to her face, and she began to lift her head. "Yes," she whispered to the sky. "Yes, my Jasper." She smiled while the images of her heroic Jasper filled her with hope. "Soon, my love" she hummed repeatedly. As long as she still saw them meeting, she had no fear of his fighting. As long as they still had a future life together.

**1937**

Lakehurst, New Jersey was a small town, but Alice was partial to the smaller towns...as long as there was a city, with the latest fashions, within running distance. The Naval Air Station gave Lakehurst a boost in population, but not enough to keep it from being anything but a cozy small town. Alice sat in the diner, slowly pouring her coffee into the potted plant next to her, and hiding bits of her sandwich to feed to the birds when she left. She listened to the excited conversations of those that were in Lakehurst to catch the next flight out, as well as those that were waiting on loved ones to arrive. She sat by the large plate glass window and watched the clouds gather. It was going to be a wet afternoon, but, for now, it was still dry. She was still glad for her men's pants and warm sweater under her peacoat. It was a great day for her. After her coffee, she visited a few of the town's shops to purchase an umbrella, and found Xander a beautiful handmade quilt. He had kept one for years, a gift from a former lover, but he had lost it in some fire in Chicago. Alice tried to remember when he said he had lost it. _"1871!" _she finally remembered. "Before my time" she mumbled as she took the quilt to the counter.

"A beautiful choice," the woman behind the counter said to Alice.

"It seemed to be the most sturdy, and had the brightest colors," Alice smiled at the counter clerk.

"Angelina Morgan makes the best quilts in the quad-state area," she replied with a big smile. She looked at Alice through her eyelashes and asked quietly, "For a lover?"

"Oh no," Alice laughed. "Just a good friend. He lost a treasured quilt in a fire some time ago. He's coming in on this next flight, and I thought it might make a nice coming home gift."

"How sweet of you," the counter clerk smiled big again. "Angelina's quilts have been known to last. She made her first when she was just a teenager, and she's well into her 90's now." The clerk chatted as she completed the sale, and carefully folder the heavy quilt. "I still have that quilt...her first. It still looks like new. And this may well be her last. Her hands are not what they use to be. So you're probably giving a gift that will last several lifetimes, if properly cared for."

"Let's hope." Alice placed her purchase over her arm and left the small store. It was early afternoon and Xander's flight wasn't due until about 4pm. Alice began to slowly stroll through the rain, toward the Naval Air Station. There were several buildings on the NAVAIR property. The area with the mooring mast was only a small section of a much larger facility. Alice was just glad that this time she didn't have to sneak in to see a famous airship. Her mind wandered back to the Pride of St. Louis, then suddenly morphed into a new vision. "Damn storm," she muttered. "Flight's going to be 3 hours late!" she huffed in frustration and leaned against the side of one of the small white buildings.

"How late do you think it will be?" A female voice whispered. A vampire's whisper! Alice thought the voice sounded vaguely familiar, but she couldn't immediately place it.

"Shut up you fool. You never know who's listening," a male vampire's voice said, again, sounding familiar.

"Xander, that patriotic pussy, will be on board. He has to be stopped. We can't have the United States looking too hard into things."

"God, Camile, watch your mouth."

Camile and Everett. Alice knew she recognized the voices, but she was surprised by the way they talked about Xander. After all, he was their friend long before Alice had met all of them in Alabama.

The other side of the building went silent, so Alice quietly slipped into the small crowd of people waiting for their loved ones to arrive. The delay in the flight was finally announced over a loud speaker. A unified groan rose from those waiting for the arrivals and the field crews that were there to tie off the giant airship when it finally did arrive. Alice just smiled sweetly as she positioned the quilt over her head and around her body, in an attempt to keep the drizzling rain off of her.

"At least three hours," moaned a burly gentleman standing next to Alice, with his arms crossed over his chest. He huffed in frustration. As he looked down at the ground, he gave it a small kick with the toe of his well-worn boot. "Well, I've waited ten years to see my father again," he said with a mild British accent. He smiled sadly. "I guess I can handle another three hours." He glanced at Alice, then looked toward the cloudy sky again. "You waiting for family too?"

"No," Alice looked to the sky, mimicking the man next to her. "A friend is returning from Italy."

"I visited Italy as a child. I remember it as being a beautiful, almost magical place."

"Almost?" Alice chuckled.

"Well," the man smiled sheepishly, "I was a lad of five...no...six." He chuckled a bit before he continued. "At that age, anything outside the city was magical to me. We lived in London. It was crowded and dark. If I remember correctly, our trip to Italy was my first experience with open hills of tall grass." He paused for a few moments, lost in the memory. "We were visiting my grandparents, on my mother's side. They lived in La Serra, a small village in Tuscany. Just a short walk from Volterra. They would tell us the most horrible bedtime stories." He chuckled as he reminisced. "My grandparents were convinced there were vampires in Volterra." He continued to smile, but grew quiet. "To be young, and believe in the magic of rolling hills and vampires again."

"You must have left home at an early age?"

"I came over to work for a distant cousin, on my father's side, when I was but 16. They needed strong men to work at a shipyard in Brooklyn. I thought it would be a great opportunity...and it has been."

"It must have been hard to leave your parents. You were so young."

"But it has been well worth it. I've prospered. Married a woman I love madly, and don't deserve. Now, with my mother gone, it's time to share it all with my father." Alice heard a quiet call, and her conversation partner turned toward the sound. "That would be my wife," his accent all but disappeared when he spoke of his wife. "I'd best get back to her. It was nice talking to you..."

"Alice."

"I'm Collin Grant. If you should ever need a strong hand, look me up at the United Shipyards in New York." Alice watched as Collin raced into the crowd with a broad smile on his face.

After her conversation with Collin, Alice wandered the crowd. Sometimes she engaged in conversation, sometimes she simply listened, but she always smiled and said "Hello" to anyone she passed. She also kept an ear out, and her eyes peeled for any sign of Camile or Everett. Their behavior baffled her. As 7pm approached, Alice searched the eastern sky until she spotted the airship. And as her eyes landed on it, a fiery vision burst into her mind. "NO!" she sobbed, as she raced as fast as her human watchers allowed, toward the edge of the airfield. As she ran, she twisted the colorful quilt and tied it around her body, as if it were a bandoleer. When she felt she was out of sight of the humans, she jumped to the underside of the large airship, as it slowly descended toward the mooring mast. She clutched at the ropes and mooring chocks as she worked her way up the gondola. Alice climbed spider-like, as she worked her way to the top of the rigid airship. She was careful not to rip the sides of the behemoth; the material of the sides was very fragile, considering her great strength. At the top of the airship, she found the observation port, and quickly slipped in to the interior of the huge vessel.

As Alice entered the top of the airship, it took a sudden turn to the left. Alice clung to the ladder and listened intently. She could feel the ship losing altitude as she slid down the ladder to the axial corridor that ran through the large airship. The sharp turn had thrown many of the crew off balance, so they were still down as Alice ran through the interior of the ship, to the stern.

"Three of them came in over New York," Alice heard from ahead of her.

"Kill'em and get'em outta here," a husky male human voice of authority said. "And find the third one."

"Out where?" asked the first male voice. "Somethin's not right. They climbed down on the gas exhaust pipe."

"Yes. We did." Alice recognized Camile's voice immediately, this time. "We've come to help you." Alice could tell her attempts at seduction were not working.

"You have a passenger...Alexander Deerborn. Calls himself Xander." Alice recognized Everett's voice. "He has documents that the United States government must not see. Not if the Fuhrer is to succeed."

"Let us handle him," Camile crooned to them. "He's one of us. We have the...skills to deal with him." She smiled at the two men, one with a gun trained on them. "Xander!" she yelled down the nearly hollow airship. "Come to the back of this marvelous ship! I simply must talk to you!" Alice was now close enough to see the four of them. None of this made sense to her. Why did they want Xander?

"You said three came back here," the authoritative man said. "Where's the third?" he gestured for Camile to answer him.

"He went to look for Xander," she responded. "He will bring him to us, if Xander refuses to come to my call."

"You should not be here for this," Everett told the two humans. Alice watched from behind the gas exhaust shaft as a massively large third vampire, unknown to her, pushed Xander onto the axial corridor from the corridor below, 15 rings farther back on the ship. "Max, take him back to ring 20." As they passed, Max handed a leather packet to Everett.

"You won't get away with this," Xander spat at Everett and Camile.

"But we will, Lover," Camile slid her hand along Xander's cheek, as she smiled seductively at him. "We will not allow the United States to interfere with the Fuhrer's plans. He envisions a world where the strong rule over the weak. In such a world, we will flourish. Our population will grow and control the weakest of the human population." Alice stepped to the side, sliding her hand along the exhaust shaft, to get a clearer view of the proceedings.

"Who's there?" Everett yelled, as his head jerked in Alice's direction. The human with the Luger turned and fired at Alice. The bullet completely missed, but the four vampires didn't wait to see if it hit her or not. Max holding Xander, and Everett and Camile all turned and ran farther to the stern of the airship.

"What are you doing?" the commanding human yelled. "You can not shoot a gun in here." He grabbed the Luger from the other man, and shoved it into the front of his pants. "Now, go catch the girl, and bring her back to ring 20," he ordered. Alice didn't wait for the humans to move. She calmly walked toward them slapping them hard enough to knock them off the corridor as she passed them.

Alice approached the three Nazi vampires cautiously. Her eyes momentarily locked with Xander, as she skillfully hid her shock at the change in them. She could also tell that it had been far too long since he had fed. She gave him a small nod before acknowledging the others. "Camile?" she smiled. "Everett? It's been a long time."

"Well, if it isn't the goody-goody vampire girl." Camile mocked Alice. "I didn't know you were on board."

The airship suddenly made a sharp turn to the right, and the tail dropped knocking them all off their feet. Scrabbling for balance, Alice immediately launched herself into the air. She grabbed Max by the head, and gave it a sharp twist. That sound of stone grinding against stone shrieked through the tail of the ship, as Max's head came away from his body. Alice grinned in triumph, as Xander, now free of the massive vampires hold, leaped on Camile. Everett had momentarily disappeared from sight, but Alice quickly found him. He had dropped down the shaft to the lower corridor to set a match to the packet of papers taken from Xander. Alice grabbed for the bundle but Everett was faster. He hurdled himself passed Alice and threw the burning pouch forward up the axial corridor. All of the vampires had smelled the slow gas leak that the gunshot had caused. But Alice's main concern was the traitorous Nazi vampires scattered around her. Not the flammable gas, or the burning couriers pouch. She jumped and landed on Everett's back. In a moment, she held his severed head in her hands, and was turning to see how Xander had faired with Camile. Alice watched as Everett's body fell to the floor. She didn't see Camile, as she pitched Xander's head directly at hers. When his head landed in her small hands, rage took control of Alice. She threw herself at Camile, the evil pixie grin spreading wide across her face. Her hatred for Camile redoubled, causing her strength to increase exponentially.

The severe angle of the airship caused the fiery bundle to slide back down to the bodies of the headless vampires, and ignited their motionless corpses. Alice, however, was too involved in her battle with Camile to pay any attention to the growing flames, and pungent purple smoke.

"You killed Everett, you bitch!" Camile screeched at Alice.

"You bet your ass I did, you Nazi whore," the enraged Alice fired back. "And you're next." Her evil grin monopolized her face, as she calmly walked a few steps toward her opponent. "You are going to burrrnnn." Alice hummed the last word, then laughed and grabbed Camile's wrist. Camile had expected Alice to go for her head, as she had with her other two kills, so when Alice grabbed her arm, she was surprised by the change in tactics. It was only a momentary lapse, but it was enough for Alice to throw Camile off balance and fling her into the blazing pyre that was her friends, and Xander. Camile screamed as her body began to burn. She jumped from the fire, and reached for Alice. Alice leapt into the air, and kicked Camile in the face. Before she settled back to the floor, Camile's face and head shattered into the flames that consumed her body. Alice smelled the gas fumes moments before the flames ignited them. She jumped to the laddered shaft that ran to the top of the zeppelin at the 20th ring, and hurried up the shaft to the top of the airship. The flames climbed the ladder nearly as fast as she did. As she neared the end of the shaft, she launched herself through the top of the zeppelin, ripping the skin of the ship, leaving it to flap around in the wind. She threw herself from the ship, as the flames became visible through the opening she had made.

When Alice hit the ground and she rolled to a stop, she turned to look at the giant airship, as it was erupted in flames and settling to the Earth. She sat in the tall weeds that surrounded the airship landing site, and watched the frame of the Hindenburg lying in the dying flames, like a mighty beached whales skeleton. She heard the screams and cries of the living and the dying. As the smell of the blood of the injured reached her, she was forced to run from the disaster site. When she had reached a safe distance, she stopped and turned back to watch as the chaos of the scene began to organize itself. Tearless sobs wracked her body. The loss of her friend. The loss of the passengers and crew of the mighty Hindenburg. It was too much loss for her to accept. And there was nothing she could do about any of it. No one she could save.

"Why would they start a fire?" Alice asked herself. "The human fired a gun. He had to know that it would cause a gas leak. Why would he start a fire?" Her confusion mounted, but Alice had no answers. "Why?"

Alice wandered away from the scene, and back to town. She stopped at the small boarding house where she had been renting a room, and gathered her things. There was no one at the boarding house; everyone was at the landing field, helping with the injured. Alice left a short note announcing her departure, on the dining table, before she headed out the door. As she stood in the doorway, she was facing west. She stepped down the front steps, and continued in that direction, completely in a daze. She walked aimlessly in a westerly direction for longer than she could remember. She had no plans on where to go next. She had no desire to change directions. She just walked.

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><p><strong>AN:** _How do you thank an angel for coming to the rescue? After some horrific reviews on a contest submission, I was really worried/terrified about posting anything, again. Thank you Nyx'sReincarnation, my new Beta, and the only angel that came to my rescue when I whimpered for help._

_I've been sitting here looking at this page, for about 15 minutes, afraid to just hit the button and post it._

_God, I am such a chicken-shit!_


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her ****Twilight ****Saga series**** of books.**

**WARNING: **This story will contain scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

**Chapter 26**

**Transversing the Fog**

Alice was in a daze as she walked west through the Naval Air Station property. She carried a very full carpet bag in her left hand, a backpack with attached sleeping bag on her back, and the slightly singed colorful quilt still tied across her body. The weight of all her things combined was nothing compared to the weight crushing her lifeless heart. The screams of all the people at the airfield, including those of the passengers of the fiery deathtrap, continued to echo in her ears. No new visions intruded to relieve her of the sight of the burning dead and dying. Nothing replaced the memory of her friend's head flying at her face, or watching his body burn with the others. So much death, both vampire and human, was unraveling her sanity. The storm that had hindered the arrival of the Hindenburg now beat down on her as she continued her slow walk west, but she felt nothing. Not the heavy rain. Not the constant heavy tempest, nor the violent gusts of wind. Not even the ground her feet tramped on. Her slow human pace of about two miles per hour, made her progress exceptionally prolonged, but she had nowhere to be. No destination in mind. She was functioning on an ingrained and instinctual level. As she moved through the night she avoided towns and farms automatically. No humans saw or heard her, and she stayed to the trees as much as possible. Her tireless pace eventually brought her to a river.

She entered the Delaware River at one of it's widest points on the northern end of the waterway; at Delanco, New Jersey, northeast of Philadelphia. Alice waded into the river and swam the mile or so to the other side, never varying her course west. She left the river at the mouth of Poquessing Creek. She had held her carpet bag and pack up over her head to protect them from the water, but the quilt was soaked as she stepped onto the shore of the river. She didn't even question the steps she found built into the steep escarpment as she used them to rise to the land above the junction of the two waterways'. When she reached the top, she replaced the pack on her back, gave an absentminded nod to the statue of the large dog she found at the top of the steps, and continued on west.

With the weaving she had done to avoid the human habitations, it had taken her nearly 20 hours for her to reach this point in Pennsylvania. For reasons she could not explain, her heart felt lighter. The weight of what had happened the day before was still weighing on her, just not as heavily. There was a sense of expectation that she couldn't explain or understand. There was no vision to guide her movement though, so she continued on her westward march.

She avoided the large mansion and a smaller cottage as she moved through the wooded area. She found a few deer to feed from, then buried their bodies deep. She was still operating on instinct and training; staying out of the sun and in the shadows, feeding from the wildlife in the area, and staying hidden from the humans. Her body was cared for, but her emotions were still in a tornado of vexation. The questions could not be answered. The confusion could not be alleviated. The screams could not be quelled. As she passed human habitations, even from the distance she always stayed from them, she was still able to hear the inhabitants inside their homes. She heard them as they cried at the news of the fiery deaths of so many on the Hindenburg. She heard their prayers, and their accusations. She heard the sorrow and the anger, and she still couldn't find peace.

As she ventured farther into Pennsylvania, It became more difficult to avoid the humans because of Philadelphia and it's many suburbs spread out along the Delaware River. She circled around the bustling city, traveling mostly at night, and remaining hidden in a large wooded area during the day. She fed daily to help with the temptation so many humans presented. When the weather was bad, she would travel during the day, but if it was bright and sunny, she would find a deeply forested area and try to work through her muddled thoughts.

She crossed the Schuylkill River at Bridgeport, choosing to use a bridge this time. From there, she began to angle south, toward Exton, but her course was still undeniably westward. The longer she walked, the slower she became. Days became weeks, but it meant nothing to her still-muddled mind. As she neared the Maryland border, she was drawn back into Pennsylvania. She crossed the bridge over the Susquehanne River at Hollywood PA. Her body directed itself to the west and away from Maryland. There was far less human habitation along the lower border of Pennsylvania; just a few farms scattered along the area. She began to relax her body, but she was still in an extremely emotionally muddled state of mind. Heartbreaking sobs still emanated from her aching chest every few miles. She cursed her damnable vampire memory, as the images remained crystal clear, but the distance from the crash site continued to increase. _Why?_ Her heart cried over and over.

She walked a fine line between the Pennsylvania state line and Maryland. If she wavered too far south, it became imperative that she move north. She never felt the need to move too far north, so she stayed within five miles of the state line. She weaved through the farms and woodlands as she continued her way west. The terrain became increasingly rugged, as hills and mountains hindered her way west. Alice still held her course, jumping down cliffs only to climb up the other side. Sometimes she would just jump across the narrower expanses, those less than a half mile across.

Eventually she arrived at the top of Mount Davis, one of the highest points in Pennsylvania. She climbed the wooden fire watch tower at the mountains peak and stopped to look around her. She saw the farms to the east, and a few to the southwest, near High Point Lake. The area around Deer Valley Lake was clear of human habitations. There was a mountainous corridor to the north and south of Mt. Davis. A large wooded expanse, clear of humans, spread out in front of her, to the north.

As Alice turned in a circle at the top of Mt. Davis, all the fear, the anger, and the confusion rose in her chest. The screams and faces of the dead and dying. It all bubbled to the top and she began to scream. She didn't know how long she screamed at the mountains around her, at the sky, the clouds, the heavens. Eventually day turned to night, and her screams turned to tearless sobs. She collapsed to her knees and leaned back on her heels as her face fell into her hands.

"WHY?!" she screamed to the heavens. "Why?" she sobbed softly.

Alice spent a few days on the peak of that mountain, trying to come to terms with what had happened. Her love of life, all life, could not reconcile the disaster she had witnessed; that she had been a part of. She began to study her memories and the way Everett had smiled and laughed as he lit the stack of papers on fire. Realization struck her like a lightening bolt. He had wanted it to catch fire.

"My God," she whispered. "He wanted to create a disaster!" Alice sobbed again. "Is this the future of the world? Nazis? A whole country full of people having no respect for human life?" Her head moved slowly from side to side. "It can't be that way. They can't all be that way? Humans can't all be like that?" She prayed for a vision that never came.

She had no idea how long she roamed the mountain. She ate when she was hungry and stood as still as stone when she was not. Days flew by. Weeks, months, even years. Time had no meaning for her. The confusion did begin to lift slowly, but it took a long time for her to come to the realization that some people simply felt that they deserved to have more for no other reason than that they wanted it. The idea of a superior race was foreign to her. She had listened to the visions of Carlisle in her head since she had woken in the darkness of that cave. She had to spend an extraordinary amount of time to rationalize the concept of Supremacies. But all that really mattered to her was the vision of Jasper coming home.

Eventually she began to roam closer to human habitations and quickly caught up on the latest news. The peace and quiet of the mountains and forests of Pennsylvania had given Alice back her sanity, but the news that the United States had entered into a war with not only Germany, but Japan as well, upset her greatly. She was also shocked that nearly five years had passed, while she had explored the wilds of Pennsylvania. As her mind cleared, new visions began to appear.

Once again, she saw Jasper as he fought the Germans, and she was proud of him and his ability to conquer the Nazi vampires. He seemed to be working with a small group of other vampires. Alice frowned, watching as his friends fell in a battle close to the end of the war. Her heart burned for Jasper, and she sobbed for his loss. She longed for the day that she would be able to soothe his pain, and see him smile in genuine joy. The day would come, and she was sure it would be soon.

She continued to roam Pennsylvania. Black bears were easy to find along the Allegheny Mountains, and she enjoyed the taste much more than that of the plentiful deer and elk. The feral swine were also plentiful though not quite to her taste, but she ate them anyway because they were a menace to the land and it's wildlife. She worked her way north, along the mountains, then angled east. The area near the New York state line seemed almost devoid of humans, and Alice spent a long time dancing in the sun when she found breaks in the forest canopy. Her joy in life had returned as she made her way through the forests and mountains, far away from the prying eyes of the humans.

Again, years passed as she listened to the voices of the humans, when she was close enough to hear them. The news report of the dropping of the A-bomb was another thing that was hard for Alice to hear. Her visions had told her of an explosion that had destroyed thousands of people, damaging large areas of land and cities, but she never dreamed that the United States would be the ones to drop such a horrific bomb on the world. But a vision of peace followed that of the bomb, so she hoped that it would be the end of the killing, and life could return to normal.

Alice slowly re-acclimated herself to the human world, and considered how to proceed with her limited funds. She bought a newspaper and studied the financial page. When she came to a stock that was about to soar, she would have a vision. So, she took the last of her money, and found a stock broker in Scranton Pennsylvania. She paid attention to her stock market visions and let her money grow. Around 1947, Alice sold off half of her stocks and opened a bank account in Philadelphia. She had heard about a fashion exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and couldn't resist the temptation to catch up on all the fashion changes she had missed while she had been playing hermit in the wilds of Pennsylvania. She rented a suite at the Chestnut Hill Hotel, and began to acquire a few things that she had been missing. One of the first things she purchased was a Harper's Bazaar Magazine. The "New Look" fashions by Christian Dior had her ready to bounce through the roof of the historic hotel. It didn't take long for Alice to find a vendor of Dior's designs, and for her to fill the closet in her suite with the couturier's fine clothing. Alice also found pants designed for women as well as blouses to wear with them, or with the many skirts she had bought. Realizing that she would not be staying in the Hotel forever, she purchased a full set of Hartman luggage, then went in search of a car that could hold all her belongings.

The night after Alice had visited the fashion exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, she had a very strong vision of Jasper. She stood at the entrance to her closet, in her bedroom, still as a statue, as the images washed over her. She welcomed them with a broad smile and a longing sigh. It would be raining. The downpour would force him into the diner. Jasper, in his 501 Levi's with the cinch fastened tightly in the back, and his blue work shirt tucked into the waistband tightly. His hands were buried in the pockets of his Spiewak brown bomber jacket, and his brown cowboy hat, pulled low over his eyes, almost black from the rain. Alice felt a shiver run up and down her spine, as Jasper entered the diner and looked up into her eyes. His blue colored contacts hid the red of his irises, but she still saw what he really was; a human-consuming vampire. The feeling from the vision told her...soon. That she would see him in person, instead of her minds eye, very soon. She had been organizing her closet when the vision started, but she soon fell back onto her bed and rolled back and forth, as she giggled and murmured to herself.

"My Jasper. So soon. Please?" She repeated his name over and over, as she fell into a happy trance.

Alice sat up with a sudden start. She looked at her nearly full closet and realized that she had nothing for her dear Jasper. Panic began to set in, as she worried about the timing. Would she have time to purchase clothing for him? She studied the images from her vision and tried to estimate his size. She knew that she would be able to find everyday clothing for him, but he would have to go to a tailor for his better clothes. Alice thought on the problem as she paced through the rooms of her suite. This would mean more shopping. She grinned from ear to ear at the thought.

**August 1948**

It had been raining for days. Alice was glad for the time she was able to be outside, but she was tired of the damage to the numerous umbrellas she had to keep buying, as the wind whipped them until they were flipped inside out. She felt like she had searched all of Philadelphia for the diner that she was looking for. Alice felt that Jasper was near, but she couldn't find him. On Friday, August 9th, the morning rain was merely a mist, so Alice headed out for the Schuylkill river. As she skimmed through the wooded southern section, closer to the center of Philadelphia, she found a couple of bears to feed on. The predator blood helped to lift her spirits and she continued through the wooded river bank. Alice hummed as she walked, watching the sun flicker through the leaves of the trees as it faded in and out of the clouds.

Today was a good day for her. She was happy and felt such a sense of peace that she couldn't help but smile, as she danced through the forest. As she neared the end of the thickly forested west side of the river, she thought hard on jumping to the other side. A simple vision showed her that it was safe for her to do it, so she danced to the shore and leaped across the river, to the wooded area on the east side. She continued humming, the sound like the tinkling of tiny bells, as she moved gracefully among the trees. As she passed the art museum, she knew she was nearing the end of the forest and entering the heart of Philadelphia. She continued to hum, but at a level the humans couldn't hear, as she enjoyed the cloudy but rainless sky. Before long she got a vision of rain. Not wanting to ruin her new dress, Alice skipped into the nearest building, the 24th st. Diner. It was right across the street from the football field near the Parkway. She lightly stepped to the counter and ordered a cherry coke. She sat on the stool and twirled it back and forth. She was looking behind the counter when the rain began. She turned to watch the street flooding downpour when she noticed the familiarity of the windows and door.

Alice watched the right corner of the large front window, as a cowboy hat came into view. He quickly placed his hand on the handle to the door, and opened it, causing the bell above it to ring. Alice noticed the way his hat was tipped down over his eyes, and the collar of his Spiewak bomber jacket was turned up, to keep the rain off his blue work shirt. His tightly cinched 501 Levi's were tucked into his cowboy boots, and Alice thought he looked tired. She bounced off her stool and slowly walked over to him.

"Hello Jasper." she grinned at him. He lifted his head just enough to see her eyes. Alice gently placed her arm on his back, as she exuded joy and love. "You've kept me waiting quite a long time."

Jasper studied her for a long moment before here removed his hat, and held it over his heart, as he smiled at her. "I can assure you, ma'am, it won't happen again."


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer:**

All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Based on the characters created by Stephanie Meyer, in her Twilight Saga series of books.**

**WARNING:** This story will contain scenes of domestic violence, strong language and other forms of physical violence, up to, and including death.

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><p><strong>Chapter 27<strong>

**The Lightness of Joy**

Time seemed to stand still as the two were drawn together. Their eyes were locked as they slowly moved toward each other. Their fingertips were the first to touch. The jolt that passed through them reminded Jasper of lightening, grounding him to her forever. For Alice, it was as if a part of her soul was transferred to him, and his to her.

"I'm Alice," she whispered to him.

"Yes ma'am, you certainly are," Jasper couldn't stop grinning. The happiness emanating from Alice was almost overwhelming, considering the pain and fear of his past.

Alice giggled as she latched onto his hand and pulled him toward the door. Despite her visions, she was still too nervous to do more than giggle at the hansom Texan holding her hand. Jasper turned away from her and looked back at the occupants of the nearly empty diner; the cook back in the kitchen, the waitress behind the counter, the truck driver enjoying his coffee, and the secretary on her lunch break. They all looked and smelled just fine to him.

"Don't you think we should grab a bite before we leave?" he asked, nodding back to the diner's patrons.

"Oh goodness, no," Alice laughed. "I've got something better in mind for you." She pulled Jasper out into the pouring rain. Her sheer joy was too much for him to overcome. All he could do was smile and follow. They walked down a couple blocks until Alice was sure it would be safe, then they sped off out of the city and back into the mountains of Pennsylvania. "Run faster, Jasper," Alice laughed at the sheer bliss of having Jasper running with her at last. "It's really not all that far."

"Where are you taking me?" Jasper couldn't help but laugh at Alice's elation. He didn't know how long they had been running at such an accelerated pace, but he was getting very hungry.

"Just to central Pennsylvania," Alice said, as she came to a sudden stop. She twirled in a circle, her arms spread wide as if for balance. "Look around you, Jasper." Her eyes were closed and her grin spread from ear to ear. "Smell the world."

Jasper looked around. They were at a high point, and all he could see were the tops of trees. Back to the east and south he could see and smell the storm they had just run through. To the west was sunny skies, and the smell of heated earth. Directly over them there and to the north was light cloud cover, but nowhere close did he smell humans; not a single one. He neither smelled blood, nor heard the sounds of dying soldiers or the creaking sound of vampire heads being ripped from a body. It was nature, and it was peace. Being late summer, the trees had not yet begun to turn colors, but the thought of coming back in October did interest him. He turned to Alice...

"Yes, of course we can, and it will be so beautiful around the end of September."

Jasper gave Alice a strange look as he thought for a moment. He knew some vampires had special abilities. He himself was able to sense the emotions of others, and influence those of groups or individuals.

"Are you...?"

"Yes."

"So you can..."

"Yep."

"Do you think you'll ever let me..."

"Probably not."

They both fell to the ground laughing.

"Telepathic or..."

"Clairvoyant." She leaned into Jasper. "I've waited for you for so very long."

"Were you..." Alice opened her mouth, preparing to reply, but Jasper held up his finger. "You will have to learn to let me finish my sentences, darlin'," he warned her.

Alice huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Alright. Go ahead."

"Were you clairvoyant as a human?"

"I don't remember," Alice said quietly. It was the first time Jasper had felt sadness from her.

Jasper wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her tightly to his side. He spoke into the top of her head and gave it a small kiss. "Can you explain that to me?"

"I have no memory of my human life. When I try to remember anything from before, all I get is darkness. I woke up alone in the dark. I had a bag with some things in it, and the name on the bag was Alice. There were some other things, but I have been going on visions I've had both in the dark and since. I've learned what to do from them."

"Wait a minute," Jasper twisted Alice around to face him, anger beginning to crawl up his spine like a long legged spider. "Who is your Sire?"

"My what? Oh yeah, I remember. My Maker. I don't know." Alice shrugged her shoulders as if it meant nothing. Jasper wrapped both arms around Alice and pulled her tightly to his chest, as he worked to calm himself.

"It's a miracle you survived," he said as he laid his cheek on her head and loosened one hand to rub circles on her back.

"That feels so good," Alice purred to him. Her feelings of happiness and contentment filled Jasper as nothing had filled him before. The pain and sorrows of his past faded into dust as the joy that emanated from Alice began to filter into him. They sat in silence for quite some time, both filled with the contentment of simply being together. Eventually, Jasper felt he had no choice but to break the silence.

"I'm sorry darlin', but even your neck is beginning to look mighty good. Now, you did promise me a nice juicy lunch, did you not?"

Alice looked up into Jasper's smiling face. She raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Yes I did," she said as she jumped to her feet. She offered her hand to Jasper and skipped off down the hill, with Jasper in tow once more.

"I don't smell a human for miles." Jasper could feel the rise in Alice's anxiety, as she pulled him along. "And they're back the way we just came from."

Alice stopped tugging on Jasper, took a few unnecessary deep breathes, and walked calmly beside him. She held on to his arm with both hands and leaned her head on his upper arm.

"You know how you feel the last moments of your kills emotions? The fear. The sadness and loss. The pain."

Jasper's body tensed and he began to emit sadness of his own. "Please don't."

Alice stopped and turned to face him. "It doesn't have to be that way." She reached up and placed her hands on either side of Jasper's face. "Please take them out."

"Them?"

"The contacts. I want to see the real you."

She smiled shyly at him as he took out his blue contact lenses. Alice was shocked at the reddish-black color of his eyes that clearly showed his hunger.

"As a human, my eye's were blue." Jasper seemed to be lost in thought for a short moment. "Your turn," he said, smiling down at her.

"I'm not wearing contacts," she told him, as she gently held her lower lip with her teeth.

"Your eyes are...," he started to laugh in a disbelieving manner, but then he turned her from side to side, studying her eyes, "...real!" he announced in amazement.

Alice giggled at him. "Yep. According to Carlisle, it has to do with the vegetarian diet."

"Who's Carlisle!" Jasper snapped, feeling sudden rage, then surprise at the intensity of his reaction.

"Not to worry my love," Alice answered sweetly. "I've learned a lot from him through my visions. He and Esme, his mate, will be like parents to us."

"Oh," he thought for a moment shaking his head in disbelief. "You tell me these things as if they've already happened. It's going to take me a while to get a handle on this clairvoyant thing. And as for a vegetarian diet? I'm not digging..."

"No, not that kind of vegetarian. We just don't eat humans. We eat animals." Alice skipped off ahead of Jasper, who was beginning to think this beautiful, pixie-like, spiky haired, energetic woman that he was falling in love with was completely insane.

"Wait, Alice," Jasper quickly caught up with her. He found her crouched behind some thick brush. Alice quickly grabbed his hand, shushed him, and pulled him down next to her, all at the same time.

"I've kept an eye on these two. There's no babies; that's one of Carlisle's rules. You don't kill a mother or mother to be. I've listened for the sounds of fetal heartbeats too, but nothing. So, which one do you want?" Alice was very excited again.

"Which one what do I want?" Jasper was confused.

"Which bear. I realize they're just little black bears, but we'll get into bigger game as we move north." Alice's sparkling amber eyes studied Jaspers. Her smile began to fade.

The bears caught their scent as the wind shifted. Jasper watched as Alice leapt from the bush, growling and hissing at the angry bear approaching her on it's back legs.

"They may be small compared to some others, but they're still a lot bigger than you, my darlin'," Jasper mumbled to himself as he followed Alice into the foray. He heard her laughter, as she grabbed her bear around the neck, and pulled herself onto it's back. Her now bare heels kicked it into its sides and hung on, while her hands gripped the thick fur around it's neck, and she reached around and sank her teeth into the beasts throat.

Jasper held his bear by the scruff of the neck, as it clawed his clothes to shred's, while he watched in awe, as Alice drained and droped her bear. She took a seat on the side of the bear, as she wiped her mouth with her hand, then licked off the blood on the back of her hand. She giggled as she watched Jasper hold his bear at arms length.

"Are you going to eat that, sweetheart, or just play with it a while? You could just let it keep clawing your clothes. I never liked that shirt, and I just love what's under it. Anyway, there are new clothes in the car by the pond. By the time we get there, it will be safe for us."

Jasper was completely confused, but he reached over and bit into the throat of the bear anyway. Alice giggled at the look on his face as he drained the bear and let it drop.

"That was quite possibly the worst thing I've ever tasted." He looked down at the bear with scorn.

"Oh, my love, just wait until you taste deer. The predators are much better. The big cats are the tastiest. So are the larger bears." Alice began to dig a hole to bury her bear. "I had a Puma once, in Alabama. It tasted much better than this bear." After covering her kill she stood and looked at Jasper, who was standing over his kill, looking at her and still debating her sanity. "Even with animals, we need to hide our kills," and she smiled as she looked from Jasper down to the dead bear, then back up to his eyes. Jasper rolled his eyes as he began to dig a hole to hide his kill.

"You have this all figured out, don'tja sweetheart."

"Yes I do." Alice smiled and swayed in a half circle, her torn skirt flowing with the breeze she was creating.

"Well darlin', I have to say that I do like the way that bear clawed at your dress. Just wish he'd managed to work at it a bit more." Jasper grinned and Alice nearly melted.

When Jasper had finished covering his kill, Alice grabbed his hand and began pulling him down the hill to a small pond. Through the rocky wall behind the pond, a thin, gently moving waterfall fed the large, deep body of water. From there, it widened out until it was close to a perfect circle. The excess water left the pond through a narrow stream at the other end. Back in the trees, away from the pond but next to the stream, Jasper saw Alice's car. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head when he recognized the 1947, Series 62, blue Cadillac convertible. As he stood and admired the beauty of the car, and then the clear, clean pond, Alice began building a small fire under the cover of some of the thickest tree branches. Next to the trees where she worked, Jasper caught sight of a knapsack that was packed full to the point of overflowing. After she had a small blaze going strongly, Alice ran to Jasper's side.

Jasper felt that Alice was feeling suddenly shy. She took one of his hands in both of hers, as she slowly led him to the fire. She pulled him down next to the fire, then pulled her shredded dress around her, strategically covering certain areas. She stared into the fire as she worked up the nerve for the next part of the day. Jasper noticed how she had pulled both her hands into her lap, and twined her fingers together, then pulled them apart, over and over. Finally, he reached for one of her hands and held it firmly in his.

"You can tell me anything, darlin'. No need to be afraid, or shy. Not with me." Jasper couldn't get a read on why she was feeling the way she was. He didn't want to use his ability to calm her even though her emotions were all over the board. She seemed to be working out something, and he wanted to allow her the chance to do it on her own. But it did leave him confused and worried about her.

"Talk to me, Sweetheart."

"I don't remember my human past." Alice started quietly, but stopped.

"Yes, you told me that. It must be hard, missing so many experiences."

"Yeah," Alice huffed, her mind still in a jumble, as she worked out how to say what she wanted. "I knew you were out there." She flashed a look into his eyes and paused again,.

Jasper was a patient man. He would give her as long as it took to tell him what she needed him to hear.

"I knew you were coming." Her hand gripped his harder, while the other fiddled with a tear in her skirt. "I knew you were for me." The last part was only slightly above a whisper.

Jasper felt her emotions suddenly rise, fear climbing to the top of the pile, with anxiety close behind. He placed his free hand on her cheek. His palm grazed her face from her temple to her neck, then brushed back up again. "What has you so frightened, Alice?" He looked deep into her now golden eyes.

"My visions aren't always right. It all depends on the decisions people make. Choices you make. Choices I make. Even the weather. Unexpected turn of events can cancel out an entire vision."

"No one's perfect, darlin'," Jasper chuckled softly. "I think that makes me feel better—to know you're not entirely perfect. But, that's not what has you so scared, Love. Tell me."

"That's it!" Alice nearly yelled. "That's exactly it. You see. I know how I feel. I know what I'm feeling. And I know what my visions say you feel. But they could be wrong. What if they're wrong and all of this is wrong." The words came out so fast, even Jasper had trouble keeping up with her. She had tried to bounce up several times, but each time Jasper pulled her back to his side. He could not bear to be parted from her. Not right now. Not while she was so confused and frightened.

"Baby, please tell me what's wrong. What is it you feel that you're afraid I don't?" Jasper begged her to answer him. Alice suddenly jerked herself away from him and leaped across to the other side of the fire.

"What if you don't love me the way I love you!?" Alice was unable to stop the sob that ripped from her throat as she watched Jasper smile and rise to join her. "NO!" Alice pointed at him. "You just stay there."

"No!" Jasper quietly responded as he made quick work of catching Alice and holding her in his arms. "It's so obvious that no one has told you a thing about our kind," he whispered into her spiky black hair. "We love at first sight. We don't always recognize it as love, but it is instantaneous." He felt Alice bury her face in his chest and slowly begin to relax, as he held her tightly against his chest and spoke calmly to her. "The moment I saw you in that diner—I knew you were mine. You are mine and I am your's. Together we complete each other; we are one."

He felt Alice's arms creep around his waist, then up his back. He loosened his hold and allowed her to lean her head back, as her hands came around to his chest. Where her skin touched his, through his nearly non-existent shirt, he felt a burn that brought to life desires long forgotten. As her hands wrapped around his neck, he lowered his head and whispered into her ear.

"Yes, Alice. I love you-just as much as you love me. We are mates, and today we will become complete." His lips brushed against her neck as they made their way to her lips. Alice leaned her head to the side to allow him better access, but when his lips touched hers, fireworks went off in her head. Visions of every kiss he would give her. Every touch they would share. The flashes went by quickly, then were gone, and she was left with the passion of their first kiss.

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><p><strong>I'm having a lot of problems keeping the use of my right hand, so typing is becoming more difficult, That by no means, means I plan to stop. Still a couple more chapters to go. No way I'm giving in to some pain and stiffness. Just please be patient. It may take me a while, but I'll get there.<strong>


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